


Knock Knock

by Melaniemia



Category: Good Girls (TV), Original Work
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Drama, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Original Female Character - Freeform, Protective Rio (Good Girls), Rape/Non-con Elements, Romance, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Strong Female Characters, computer hacker, gang leader rio, single mom, smart badass lead woman
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:29:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 67,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24185164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melaniemia/pseuds/Melaniemia
Summary: You can enjoy this story without having ever watched Good Girls.Rio didn't know much about his neighbor other then the fact that she was very pregnant, and very alone. When he discovers she has secrets of her own, including a very unique skill set, he thinks she might be a valuable addition to his gang. As time goes on, he finds it hard to stay away from her even though he knows she's too good for him.“You got any idea what happens to people who get close to a gang leader?"“They get hurt.” she answered sadly, leaning against his hard, athletic body. She rested her head on his shoulder and the two of them looked up at the clear, pitch black sky.“Yea, sweetheart, they do.”
Relationships: Rio (Good Girls)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 26
Kudos: 191





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own anything except my OC

He shouldn't have been surprised by the empty fridge, but he always was. He had barely been home in the past two weeks and now that he was, all he wanted to do was eat and sleep for as long as his body would allow. He couldn't remember being this exhausted in a long time. He shut the offending fridge, leaving a red mark on the handle. He crossed the kitchen to wash his hands in the sink, the basin filling with red for a full minute before his hands were finally free of the thick, red blood and only slightly stained and raw. He wasted no time in grabbing his phone to order himself some food from the Thai place down the street before hopping in the shower. He braced his hands against the wall to keep himself standing as the hot water beat down on his aching back. It had been a long day; worse then all the others. He was no saint but he liked to keep his hands as clean as he could when it came to the bad shit. But this was unavoidable. And he couldn't let a rotten egg spoil the whole bunch. So he handled it, like he had to do a few times in the past.

He stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He threw on a pair of athletic shorts and a black t shirt before drying his hair with the towel. When there was a knock at his door, he grabbed his wallet off the kitchen island, ready to pay the delivery guy. But when he threw the front door open, he was surprised to see a very pregnant, very worried young woman. And she wasn't holding any food in her hands.

“Can I help you, sweetheart?” he asked, leaning against the door frame and regarding her cautiously. He didn't know this woman, and the fewer people who knew where he lived, the better.

“This is gonna sound crazy since you don't know me but I live in the apartment right next to yours and it got broken into today while I was at work.” she spoke so fast that he was immediately disarmed by her. She was obviously nervous, and wanted to be anywhere but standing here in front of a strange man she didn't know.

“You wanna wait in here until the cops come or somethin?” he asked, still wondering what she was doing here and growing more impatient by the minute. He still wanted nothing more then food and to collapse into bed.

“No, see I can't call the cops.” she said vaguely, making no indication that she was going to give him anymore information then that. “Just wondering if you had a baseball bat I could borrow for a few minutes.”

His eyes flashed a bit at this as he raised an eyebrow in response. He had pegged this girl all wrong, that much was becoming very clear.

“Sure do.” he smirked, grabbing his wooden bat from its place against the table directly to his right. He tossed it at her suddenly, surprised by her once again when she caught it without missing a beat. This girl may look the part of an innocent, unsullied, young woman but there was more to her then that. It took no more then the two minutes they had spoken for Rio to figure that out. She was a full head shorter then him and her hair was the same chocolate brown as her eyes. It looked like it had started off in a ponytail at the beginning of the day but by now, the day almost over at close to midnight, more of her hair was down by her shoulders then up in the elastic band.

“Thanks neighbor.” she said, slinging the bat over her right shoulder before heading the six feet away from him to her own apartment door. He peered his head out casually to see her use the bat to push her broken door in and walk inside.

He shook his head before shutting the door with a smirk.

He should really give more thought into moving.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own anything but my OC Hope you guys enjoy. Thanks for all of the comments, i truly love to hear from you all.

**Chapter Two**

He got his wish that night and slept for a solid 18 hours before going back to his daily grind. That beautiful, restful sleep seemed like it was years ago because another two weeks went by before he spent anymore time in his own home. He never minded his line of work much; never let himself dwell on the thoughts of “what if” for too long. But moments like these where he felt like he might drop from exhaustion made him want to consider other directions his life could go in. Thankfully, Rio didn't give into these thoughts for much longer before his ringtone went off through the empty space.

“What's up, hermanita?” He said with a smile, throwing himself down on his leather couch with one leg hanging off the side.

“Don't be mad...” The woman on the other end of the line started, her voice among plenty of other sounds in the background, including beeping machines and other medical staff around her.

“Never. What you need?” He allowed himself three whole seconds to relax into the couch before pushing himself up and putting his shoes on. He grabbed his keys and stepped out into the hallway, turning his key in the lock to secure his place while he was gone.

“I need you to come get Levi from daycare. I'm working another double today and he's been here with me for the past two days straight. The hospital is so busy and I haven't been able to spend any time with him and-” He cut off her frantic rant.

“I don't wanna hear none of that guilt talkin, Maya. You keep workin that bony ass off and I'll spend the day with Levi. I'm comin now.” He took the stairs down to the main floor of the apartment building, As he was walking out onto the street, his neighbor was walking inside. He held the door open for her and watched her walk passed him without a word. He smirked to himself before heading to the hospital.

The looks he got meant nothing to him anymore. He had been in this line of work for so long, he knew what people thought when they saw someone who looked like him. He was all tattoos and muscle and that could only mean trouble to people passing him in the hospital halls. He was about to make a smart remark to an older woman going out of her way to put as much distance between them as possible when he saw his sister. He instantly shut his mouth and jogged up to her. She looked a mess. Her dark hair was up in a knot on top of her head and her scrubs were covered in God knows what. That didn't stop Rio from wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her off the ground as she laughed and begged him to stop.

“I appreciate you helping me out with Levi today. He's been asking about you a lot lately.” She went behind the nurses station quickly to grab her badge before walking down with Rio to the daycare on the first floor.

“I hate not seeing you guys for this long. Just been so busy lately.” He said vaguely, rubbing the back of his neck.

“You don't have to hide this shit from me, yanno. I grew up with the same father you did. I know what you do for a living. Doesn't change a thing. You're still the best uncle to my son and the best brother. Just make sure you take care of yourself. I worry every day that they are gonna wheel you into my ER one of these days.” she said, holding back the tears and plastering a large smile on her face when they walked into the preschool and her son ran up to them. The young boy was only 4, but he had the energy of a small lion. He paid no attention to his mother, much to her disdain, and ran right for his uncle. Rio swept him up from the ground and held him in his arms tightly. The older man let out a rare, genuine laugh and mocked his sister, walking out to the parking lot with them both.

“You're gonna spend the day with me, little man. Maybe if you ask nice, your mama will let you spend the night. Whatchu think, Maya?” He asked, buckling the kid into his booster seat and kissing his sister on the forehead.

“Sounds great.” She smiled, leaning in through the window to hug her son. “You listen to your uncle and have a good time. I'll pick you up in the morning.”

“Thank you so much for this.” She sighed, running her fingers through her oily hair and putting it up in a less pathetic bun.

“You go in and get a coffee; you look like shit. We will see you tomorrow.” He squeezed her hand before sliding into the drivers seat. He had a pickup to make at the park and then he owed this kid some ice cream.

The park was unsurprisingly packed with kids since it was the middle of the day on a weekend. What did surprise him, however, was a familiar dark haired woman sitting on the bench he usually occupied to pick up his cash. His eyes checked in on Levi every few moments as he played with the other kids but he let the other half of his attention go to the young woman he barely knew. He wasted no time sitting down next to her and spreading his arms out over the back of the bench. She immediately scooted away from him without a word.

“Damn, that's cold. I lend you a bat out of the kindness of my heart and you can't even say hello. Shame shame.” He said coolly, glancing around casually for his supplier.

She took one of the ear pods from her ear and regarded him with suspicion. “Sorry, didn't realize it was you.” She offered no other apology or response. This only made his smirk widen. He saw his partner heading towards them and nodded in recognition, letting him know he was ready to make the exchange.

The girl was smart enough to put her ear pod back in and seemed to be on the lookout for something of her own, her dark eyes scanning the park carefully.

Rio discreetly shook hands with an older, dark skinned man before taking the grocery bag he offered, shoving it inside his leather jacket. Before he could turn his attention back to his bat wielding neighbor, she was standing up and walking over to a stroller that was being ignored by its owner. It looked like the woman was busy pushing her baby on a swing and hadn't looked in the direction of the stroller for quite some time. Rio watched her closely as his mystery neighbor got up and grabbed the handle like she owned it and steered the stroller in the opposite direction, towards their apartment building, without the slightest hesitation.

He couldn't resist the urge to watch her walk away. Her legs were exposed to the summer heat in the short, yellow sundress she wore, her eyes now hidden behind a large set of sunglasses. Her dark waves were loose and long down her back, pushed away from her face with a tied, purple bandanna. From this angle no one would know she was pregnant, but he'd seen her large belly and knew she had to be due any day now.

“Well, son of a bitch.” He muttered to himself, vowing that next time he ran into her, he would inquire a bit more as to what her line of work was. Before he let himself dwell on her anymore, he ran over to the playground and chased his young nephew around until both of their legs were sore.

“Whatcha think, pup? You wanna head to the store and pick up some pizza and ice cream? We can call your mama later.” The boy nodded enthusiastically at this suggestion and they walked to the corner store right down the block.

He almost forgot how it felt to have his home filled with so much love and laughter. He wanted more of this, and was currently enjoying throwing pieces of popcorn into his nephews mouth and watching the young boy burst into giggles when it missed or hit him in the eye instead. He had to give the kid credit, he didn't tire easily. It wasn't until close to 11 that he finally fell asleep on the couch. Rio grabbed the large, red blanket from the basket and draped it over his tiny body.

He smiled down at him for a brief moment before cleaning up the paper plates and empty bags of snacks. When his phone vibrated in his pocket, he quietly stepped out into the hallway to take the call.

It was business as usual and it took a few minutes to make sure everything was squared away and handled the way he wanted. His hand was on the doorknob, about to head back into his apartment when his neighbors door swung opened and he dropped his hand. He leaned against the wall instead right next to his door and regarded his phone with great interest, all while waiting to see who came out. He instantly regretted this when his eyes locked with a uniformed officer who shot him a smile straight from the douche bag handbook.

“Evening.” The officer said, looking Rio up and down with judgment in his eyes.

  
“Mhm.” Rio responded, his tone bored. He should've just headed back inside, but when the familiar head of dark hair appeared, he stopped to watch her. He had seen her just a few hours earlier in the park, and she looked as healthy as she should be. But when he looked at her now, she had her left arm cradled to her chest and the bat in her other hand.

“I'm familiar with you. You've been into the precinct a few times, aint that right?” The tall, light skinned man said with a gleam in his eye.

Rio ignored the bait and looked past his shoulder, catching his neighbors eye instead. “Everything ok, mama?”

She nodded confidently, pushing the tip of the baseball bat into the officers chest. He stepped back a few paces, backing further into the hallway.

“I'm sure I'll see both of you around. Different reasons, of course.” He smiled, the threat hanging in the air very clearly as he walked away, disappearing down the stairs at the end of the hall.

“Never pegged you to be the datin a cop type.” He said, pushing himself off the wall and taking a step closer to her. She stepped back in response and he immediately held up his hands in surrender.

“I aint gonna hurt ya, darlin. Seems like you got bigger fish to worry about though, yea?” He asked, his face softening as he took the same step backwards this time, towards his own door.

“Yea.” she whispered. “I guess I do.” She conceded simply, pushing her hair back away from her face as she looked him in the eye for the very first time.

  
He opened his mouth to say something but his apartment door opened and Levis head poked out.

“Uncle Rio, I woke up and you were gone.” He said sleepily, rubbing his eyes and clutching the blanket around his small shoulders.

“Sorry, buddy. You go sleep in my bed and I'll be in there in just a second. I'm not going nowhere.” He promised, shooting the kid a smile before his apartment door clicked shut again.

“That your name? Uncle Rio?” The young woman asked with a forced smile, still keeping her distance, stuck in the threshold of her own home.

“Mhm. But you can call me Rio.” He smirked, reaching out his hand for her to take.

She cautiously made a few steps out of her doorway and grabbed his hand, giving it a light squeeze before letting it drop.

“See, now this is the part where you tell me your name.” He joked, missing the feel of her hand already. She stood in front of him now instead of retreating immediately back to her place.

“I don't feel like thinking up a fake name right now. How about we wait and see if we know each other long enough for me to trust you with the real one? Save us both some trouble.” She said, her voice sad but with a hint of humor lining her smile.

His eyes flashed to hers and he matched her smile comfortably. She held the bat out for him to take but he shook his head.

“Nah, you keep that. Pretty thing like you should have a weapon in every room of the house.” He said, his tone indicating his seriousness on the matter.

She nodded in agreement, giving him a small wave before heading back into her apartment. The soft click of her door was quickly followed by his own as they continued to go about their separate lives for another few weeks.

Between jobs, drops and overseeing border crossings, Rio didn't have much time for the luxuries of friendships or relationships. He barely had time to spend with the family he loved dearly and it was starting to ware on him. He wasn't the sentimental type. He wasn't searching the world for his soulmate, but sometimes he let himself ponder what it would be like to have a Friday night free of illegal activities and to spend it with someone whose company he enjoyed. Those thoughts were quickly smashed when he remembered why he did what he did. Money wasn't falling from the sky for people to snatch up. He had to work hard for the life he had. And he loved the security and overall peace of mind that a heavy cash flow provided for him and his family. He'd paid to send his little sister to nursing school and Levi had a cushy savings account ready for when he wanted to go to college or buy his first car. He wouldn't lie, the loneliness crept in every now and then. But he'd choose this security over anything in the world. Growing up, his sister worked all through high school as a waitress just to help their parents get by. When their mother died and their father got locked up before either of them graduated, Rio vowed to find any solution he could to give his sister the life she deserved. Dime bags turned to harder drugs, selling turned to border drops. He eventually found that dealing guns brought in even more cash. Before he knew it, his sister was in nursing school working hard to get her degree, and Rio was so deep in this shit there was no getting out. Not that he wanted to, because above all else, he was _smart_ and he was so damn good at what he did. 

He had no trouble picking girls up when he wanted to. He loved the feel of a beautiful woman in his bed. And if that was the routine his life continued to follow, he could live with that.

He was finishing up a delivery to a junk yard down the street from the hospital, so he decided to grab a coffee for his sister and see if Levi wanted to have another sleep over. It was 6pm and he knew she was still working there even though she went in at 4am that same morning. When he took the elevator up to the third floor and met her at the nurses station in the ER, she looked just as disheveled as usual. Her hair was braided down her back and her eyes were roaming over a clipboard in her hands.

“Hey sis.” Rio said, passing her the coffee cup.

“You're the best.” She smiled before grabbing the attention of another nurse.

“Can you start the discharge paperwork for room 3. The woman who just had the baby.” She said quickly, passing the chart to her coworker and giving Rio her attention now that she was free.

“You deliverin' babies up here now?” He joked, leaning against the counter and shooting the attractive nurse behind the desk a smile.

“No picking up woman at my job, you slut.” Maya laughed, pushing her brother until he stumbled away from the surface he'd been leaning on.

“Sorry, sorry. I know the rules.” He smirked.

“And to answer your question, smartass, no we don't normally deliver babies. This poor girl came in with a knife wound and while we were treating her, her water broke. Probably the craziest day I've had in a while.” she explained, clearly still a bit frazzled from the series of events the day had handed her.

“Sometimes I forget we live in the hood because my baby sister works at a big, fancy hospital.” He joked with a smile.

Before Maya could respond, the nurse from earlier handed the clipboard back to her.

“Room 3 is all ready to go home but she doesn't have a ride. I told her we couldn't discharge her alone...”

“You think she's going to slip out?”

“Can't say I blame her. She doesn't have any other way home. She drove herself here with a knife in her arm.” she nodded in the direction of room 3, Rios eyes instinctively following her motion and looking briefly into the aforementioned room. He narrowed his eyes slightly when he recognized the confident woman from his building.

“That's her?” He asked his sister.

“Yea. You know her?” She was surprised when she recognized a rare look on her brothers face.

“Barely.” He said, turning his attention back to his sister. There was no way he was getting involved with this woman. Her whole situation screamed shady and he had enough of that with his own life.

“Thought I'd come take Levi off your hands for the night.”

“Aw he misses you, but he's actually sleeping over at Jess's house tonight. Her son is his age and they really hit it off at daycare so she offered. I'm picking him up tomorrow morning if you want to come and spend the day with us."

“I got some shit I gotta take care of at home tomorrow morning. Gotta go over the books and all that but why don't you come over in the afternoon and I'll take you both out to lunch.” He offered, doing his best not to look at room 3 even though he was itching to take a quick glance.

“Sounds good. I'm going to finish up here and try to find a ride home for that girl. I'm looking forward to getting home and enjoying some time to myself for once.” Maya said, hugging her brother tightly before pushing the door open to his neighbors room.

_Don't do it you fuckin idiot,_ his brain was screaming at him. Before he could listen to his own sound advice, he was following his sister.

“Rio, you can't come into a patients room!” She hissed, turning towards him and shoving his back, which did absolutely nothing to move the strong, towering man.

“So, you aint got a ride.” He said simply, addressing his neighbor who had a diaper bag slung over her chest and a car seat hanging down against her leg as she held it tightly in her hand.

“What are you even doing here?” she asked, ignoring his question.

“Drivin ya home it looks like, since you're a little short on options.” He said coolly, grabbing the set of keys off of the hospital table by the door. They were light in his hand, only a few different keys on the ring and a small, silver charm of a wolf dangling from the bottom.

She opened her mouth but quickly shut it, seemingly thinking better of it. She simply nodded, following him out of the room with her baby and belongings, whispering a sincere thank you to Maya as she passed. Rio held the door open for the petite, young woman but made no effort to speak any further to her. As they walked out to the hospital parking lot, he was suddenly very aware of the looks he was getting from the people around him. The two police officers at the entrance watched his every move the moment they saw him, and he could feel their eyes on his back as he continued to walk to her car. He wouldn't say that he was embarrassed. This was nothing new to him. But he tensed up in a way he never did before walking beside her now.

“That's my car.” She broke the silence, pointing to the blue Ford Focus they were about to pass.

“That's a pretty girly car. Didn't expect that.” He opened the trunk for her, watching as she tossed the diaper bag inside while trying not to let his gaze linger on her legs for too long. “Smart girl might think that's a pretty good reason to buy a car like this in the first place, hmm?”

“Being underestimated has always been an advantage. Figured I would play into it. Sure helps when I get pulled over.” She said simply, going around to hook the car seat into the base behind the drivers side.

Rio felt his chest swell a bit with pride at her obvious intelligence. Shutting the trunk and sliding in behind the wheel, he took a few seconds to look around her console before she got into the seat beside him. He didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. A pair of sunglasses sat in the cup holder, a pack of gum in the door.

“I guess I don't have to give you directions.” She said as he whipped out of the parking lot and headed towards home.

“You sure there's a baby in that thing?” He asked five minutes into the drive that was becoming increasingly too silent for his comfort.

He couldn't help but glance over at her when she surprised him with a soft, feminine laugh. “That is one thing I can say with absolute certainty. There's definitely a baby in there.” She promised.

“When I drove my sister home after she had her kid, that thing wouldn't stop screamin. I almost drove back to have the doctors check him over again.” Already he had spoken too much. This was more information then he would ever offer up to another person so casually.

“I'm sure she's just taking it easy on me the first day. Tryin to trick me.” She joked, catching his eyes on her as they drove and shooting him a small smile. She looked away quickly and brushed her hair back over her shoulders, turning her attention towards the window.

“Do I get to ask her name or does she have a fake one, too?” He couldn't help the words from tumbling out of his mouth, mirroring her own from weeks ago.

“Francis.” She said, keeping her eyes glued on the scenery passing by her window.

He was silent for a moment before he spoke. “That's... unique.” He said, his words coming out as more of a question then a statement. He was looking at the road ahead until he heard a small sound come from beside him. He shot her a quick look and caught her eye, a small smile present across her pink lips.

“You did good.” She said with a laugh, her voice laced with the hint of an accent that he couldn't quite place. “You didn't even let on that it's an awful name.”

“Oh I get it. You're fuckin with me.” He watched her as they slowed to a stop at a red light.

She nodded and he smiled at her with perfectly straight, white teeth. She felt slightly disarmed being this close to such a handsome, seemingly powerful man. His plain, black Tshirt made it easy to see that his arms were firm with muscles in all the right places.

“Who would name their kid Francis? Especially a girl.” She joked, turning around in her seat to check on her baby. Rio couldn't stop himself from looking at the curve of her back. His eyes locked on the dip at the bottom of her spine before she turned back and sat forward again.

“People name their kids all kinds of weird crap.” He said, pulling the car into the parking garage attached to their building.

“Well, her name is Violet, so that shouldn't be too weird.” She said, unbuckling her seat belt with her uninjured arm and stepping out.

“Nah,” Rio said, opening the trunk to grab the diaper bag, making no move to hand it to her. “Just weird enough.” He smirked, watching her lean over to remove the car seat.

  
He knew she'd been stabbed in the arm; Knew she'd just pushed a human being out of her body. All within the last 2 or 3 days. Despite all of this, if he hadn't heard it from his sister, he would have never been able to tell this woman was in pain. And she absolutely had to be. No one goes through that much trauma without being in agony, no matter how tough. Hell, he had been stabbed plenty of times and it still felt like a hot poker through the bone every time. And he never had to give birth afterwards.

“You don't gotta carry that, I can do it.” She said, reaching over to take her satchel from his grasp. He pulled it out of reach and walked into the building with her, holding the door without a word for her to go through first.

They walked up the two flights of stairs to their floor without speaking, the baby in the carrier fast asleep. She set it down on the ground and held her hand out to Rio, silently asking him for the keys.

He placed them gently in her palm and she thanked him quietly. Rio watched the small baby stir in the car seat as her mama unlocked the door. She was so tiny and new, only existing in this world for a few short hours. He couldn't stop himself from wondering how this woman was going to take care of such a small, helpless thing with only one good arm and no one around to help.

“You got family coming over or something to meet her?” He asked, only because he couldn't stop himself.

Rio had avoided and redirected his share of questions, so he knew when it was happening to him. But he didn't care. He may not have learned about her family in that moment, but he learned more then he knew before. He would count that as win in his book.

“Cassidy.” She said, tossing her keys on the table inside her door and taking her bag from his outstretched hand. “My name is Cassidy.” She bit her lip lightly before taking her daughter into the apartment and shutting the door between them.

Rio stood outside, staring at her closed door, rubbing his hand over the scruff of his chin. He nodded to himself, unable to help the corners of his mouth from pulling up slightly. He slipped his hand into the pocket of his leather jacket to finger the small wolf charm he had swiped from her keys.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassidy shows Rio she's a much bigger badass then he originally expected
> 
> In case you guys are wondering what my character Cassidy looks like, I'll post a photo of how I try to write her. 
> 
>   
> 

**Chapter Three**

Rio went about his day the way he always did. Cold and unfeeling, holding himself with the kind of rigid exterior that showed the world he meant business. Everything seemed to be going well as the day came to an end. He oversaw two important deliveries and took care of a rival gang trying to sell on his turf. His knuckles were raw and his patience thin, but overall a productive day. He found himself deserving of a strong drink and a long rest, but that plan was swiftly dashed when he arrived to find his apartment door busted off its hinges, laying broken on the floor.

“The fuck.” He shouted to himself, taking his gun from his back and stepping inside.

“No need for that.” A voice called from behind him. He spun around quickly, aiming the weapon right at the young woman's forehead. His neighbor was standing right outside his entryway, chewing a wad of gum loudly, her face bored and unafraid of the gun currently being pointed at her.

“If you were smart, you'd start talkin, ma.” He said, the sound of the safety being taken off his gun echoed through the room.

“You hold all your friends at gunpoint?” She asked, pushing her long brown hair behind her ear and blowing a bubble with her gum.

“We aint friends.” He shot back, his tone mean as his patience grew thinner. He looked her up and down, her feet in a pair of bright yellow flip flops, her petite, tan legs bare under a short, purple cotton robe.

“Well, if we aren't friends, then I guess I don't need to tell you that two guys showed up here a few hours ago and I shot them both in the back of the head.” She popped her bubble and turned on her heels to go back inside her own apartment.

“Wait, wait, wait.” He said in disbelief. His crime-lord sneer turned into one of genuine curiosity.

“Hmm?” She asked, leaving her door open just enough to peer out at him. He was standing in the hallway with a stern look on his face.

“You gonna tell me anything else or just leave me in suspense?” He asked with annoyance, slamming his palm on her front door and shoving it open. She jumped back before it could connect with her face.

“Hey!” She said, her tone less playful now and much more fierce. “Don't be that guy, ok? Not with me. It doesn't impress me and it certainly doesn't make me want to shoot anyone else in the head for you.”

“Yea, sweetheart? What kinda guy am I?” He narrowed his eyes at her, sizing her up.

“Some macho badass who waves a gun and thinks that earns him respect.” She narrowed her eyes right back.

“You got quite a mouth on you for a little girl livin all alone.” He said, pushing her door open further and stepping inside, slamming it shut behind him.

Part of him desperately wanted to take in his surrounding, see what kind of home this woman made for herself. Would she have a kitchen table or did she eat on the couch? Would she have a hook for her keys by the doorway, or was she always rushing to find them in the morning.

“It must be exhausting.” She said, her voice a sad whisper as the anger drained from her body. She sighed loudly, plopping herself down on the L shaped couch a few steps away. His gun followed her as she did, his eyes never leaving hers. After all, his apartment had been broken into and he still knew nothing about this woman who was technically a suspect and possible threat to his privacy. In his line of work, privacy was everything, and no one but his family knew where he lived.

“What's that?” He said, taking a few steps closer to her, standing right above her as she lounged. She pulled her bare legs up and tucked them underneath herself.

“Having to make sure everyone you meet is afraid of you.” She whispered, biting the inside of her lip as she studied him.

A soft cry came from the closed off room a few feet away and he instantly put his safety on and tucked his gun back into the waistband of his jeans.

“Am I allowed to get that or would you like to wave your gun around some more?” She sneered, disappearing inside the room for a moment before reemerging with a small dark haired infant.

“It's been a long day.” He finally said, falling onto the couch and rubbing his hand over the scruff on his chin. She noticed his blood stained knuckles and nodded.

  
“I get that.” She said, her voice full of understanding. The baby she held was pulling at her hair with surprising strength, causing Cassidy to wince slightly. She sat on the other end of the couch, away from Rio, and tried to get her daughters little fingers to let go.

“Damn bebita, take it easy on your mama.” Rio said, shifting across the couch to the pair of them. He unclasped Violets small hands gently, freeing Cassidy's hair. Her eyes looked up at him from under dark lashes as he raised his hand to her face and brushed the chunk of hair out of her eyes with surprising tenderness.

“Don't.” She said weakly, shaking her head in disapproval. “We can never be friends.” Her voice was sad as she said the words out loud, letting them hang in the air. She made herself busy by putting Violet down in the pack and play next to the couch and sitting back down, further away from Rio this time. She tightened the robe around her waist and drew her legs up beside her again.

“Who said anything about friends?” He asked with a raised brow. He licked his lips in a way that must have gotten many woman before her into his bed. It did nothing for Cassidy.

“Oh, I got it. You want someone to suck your dick who conveniently lives next door to you.” She said bluntly, regarding him with anger. However, he saw a crushing sadness in her dark brown eyes.

“You'd have a good time too. I aint selfish in the bedroom.” He said stretching his arms out wide across the back of the couch.

She nodded with a sad smile that disarmed him in a way he'd never experienced before. And suddenly, looking into her eyes, Rio saw something without needing to hear her say it.

“Someone did somethin real terrible to ya, didn't they, darlin?” Rio couldn't tear his stare away from her expressive eyes as she stared right back at him.

She ignored his question and took a deep breath, putting her strong face back on so she couldn't be hurt.

“Like I said, I took care of the two men that broke into your place. But I left the cleanup for you. Assuming this isn't your first rodeo.”

“You tellin me I'm gonna go back home and find two dead bodies in my livin room?” He narrowed his eyes at how casual she was about this whole situation.

“Of course not. Your door is broken down. Anyone could walk by and see that.” She said with a laugh as if _he_ was the crazy one for asking such a question.

He looked relieved for half a second as he walked back to the front door, ready to make his way home.

“That's why I dragged them into your bathroom.” She said with a smile, trailing behind him, ready to close the door the moment she was able. He was out in the hallway, ready to scold her actions, before she slammed the door shut, separating the two of them.

“Good luck!” She called out from behind the barrier, missing his impressed laugh from the other side.

Rio walked into his apartment, grabbed the door, and leaned it against the threshold before making his way towards the bathroom. Laid out in front of him were two large, light skinned men with bullet holes in the back of their heads, blood pooling onto the black garbage bags Cassidy had put under their bodies.

He called his men to come handle the clean up before grabbing his coat and slamming his fist against his neighbors door.

  
“It's been two damn minutes. I want to go to bed, Rio.” She said, throwing the door open with Violet on her hip.

He didn't let himself think about how much he enjoyed the sound of his name on her lips. She had discarded the robe and stood before him in a pair of mustard yellow sweat pants and a black tank top that showed a sliver of her hip.

“Grab a coat, it's cold as fuck outside.” He said, giving her no other instructions as he snatched the baby from her arms.

“Hey!” She said in protest, reaching for her daughter and earning a laugh in response.

“How tall are you, ma? It's like fighting off an enana” He laughed, holding the baby out of her reach as Violet giggled at the motion.

“I am not a dwarf. I'm tall enough. Over 5 feet.” She grumbled.

“Barely.” He grinned, throwing the baby up in the air and getting rewarded with a genuine laugh when he caught her.

Cassidy shot him a look of contempt before hurling a baby jacket at his face. She shoved her own arms into her leather coat and watched as Rio put her daughters chunky arms into the sweatshirt she threw at him.

“I hope you don't think I'm taking my daughter to dispose of dead bodies in the middle of the night.” She said, taking Violet back and holding her against her side.

“With those scrawny arms? No, sweetheart, I got that taken care of. Figured I owed you for what you did.” He said, leading them down the stairs and out into the chilly night air.

“'I'm not gonna talk if that's what you mean. And I don't want to sit across from you at a Denny's while you slide a stack of bills across the table for me to stay quiet.” She said, grabbing his arm on the street before he could walk them any further. He flicked his jacket collar up to keep the bite of cold away from his body and stared at her dumbfounded.

She smiled back at him triumphantly. “That was the plan, right?” She held Violet closer to her chest to keep her warm and rubbed her hand up and down the babies back.

“Ihop actually.” He said, becoming more amazed by her with each interaction they shared.

“Come here.” She laughed, taking his hand and pulling him into the small coffee shop attached to their building. Violet was starting to get fussy, rubbing her tiny fists into her eyes as signs of sleepiness became more obvious.

She pulled him over to a set of bar stools near the window and pushed him to sit down. He did and stared at her, waiting for some kind of explanation. Her radiant smile was making him uncomfortable.

“Look, we don't know each other, and I'm good with that. But you should know that my job is no more legit then yours. This isn't my first rodeo either and you don't need to buy my silence. I'm no snitch, I promise.” She spoke confidently and for a reason he will never know, he trusted her words. "I don't want your money, Rio." She whispered.

He nodded, patting her leg casually. “Let's get you girls back home then.” He conceded, holding his arms out and making an inpatient gesture with his hands.

“Hurry up. Hand her over.” He said with a snap of his fingers. Cassidy passed the baby to him as they walked back to their building.

They took the stairs to their floor, Rio allowing his finger to be gnawed on by the small infant the whole way.

“You got no family, do you?” He asked the older woman with a look of understanding.

“No. It's just me.” She said, offering nothing else.

He held the door open to the stairway and let her walk through, heading towards their doors.

“That's all she needs. Don't let no one tell you different.” He said in a moment of kindness that he would be sure to try his damnedest not to repeat. His job- hell, his life – didn't allow for soft moments of tenderness. He had to be threatening at all times or the few people he did care about could be hurt. He didn't want anyone thinking this single mom was a way to get to him. She was safer that way.

“I wont.” She smiled softly, opening her door for what felt like the millionth time that night. She pushed it open and immediately put Violet in her crib, closing the bedroom door. She came back to the hallway to see Rio opening his brand new door.

“That was quick.” She said, leaning against her own door frame.

“I work with some good people.” He smirked.

“I want something to be clear between us. The booty call situation you suggested earlier? I need you to know that can't happen. I'm not that girl.” Her expression was now very serious, although she looked down at her feet, showing a shyness he hadn't seen on her before.

“Shouldn't have said nothin like that to you anyways. You're outta my league, darlin.” He said, his eyes darkening at the truth in his words.

She gave him a small smile before they both closed their respective doors and went to bed with racing thoughts. The wall separating their homes never felt so thin as it did that night. For the first time in Cassidy's life, she wanted nothing more then to be able to trust a man.  
  


Rio wanted nothing more then to take a leap and get to know more about his neighbor, but he knew he never could. The last thing he wanted was to see her hurt because of him.


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time writing a fanfiction with my own character but I hope you guys are enjoying it. I really love bringing Cassidy to life and I love your comments so keep em coming. xoxo

**Chapter Four**

A month passed with no sign of her intimidating neighbor and Cassidy tried her best not to be disappointed by that. She was the one to say they couldn't be friends, and logically, it made sense for them to cease contact with one another. This didn't stop a small spot of sadness from opening up in her heart and bleeding through her veins when she stepped out into the hallway with Violet in her stroller, to see two woman carrying boxes into the apartment next to hers.

“Look at that cute baby!” One of them exclaimed, shooting her a kind smile. Both woman looked to be a bit younger then her, no doubt moving into their first place together.

“Thanks. You guys just move in?” Cassidy asked. The thought of Rio up and leaving made her stomach clench.

“Yea, can't beat the price. Plus, it's near the bar we work at.” The other friend answered, setting a heavy looking box down in front of the door. Her hair was short and bright red, 21 years old at the absolute most.

“Good to meet you both.” Cassidy shot them a small wave before taking the elevator to the bottom floor with the stroller and walking with her daughter to the park nearby. Violet was 6 months old now and loved to be pushed on the swings by her mama. The constant threat of being found by people who wanted to hurt her never went away. She wished she could take her to the park every day or take long walks around the neighborhood. Unfortunately, she had to be careful and make sure she kept her daughter safe.

When she had found out she was pregnant last year, she had never cried so hard in her life. She remembered nothing but waking up in a dark alley a few months before with no recollection of how she got there. Her job was a complicated one. It felt secluded because she could do it from home on her comfy couch with her laptop and a cold beer, but it was anything but safe. She was a hacker and she stole money from powerful people and transferred it anonymously to charities around the world. She skimmed thousands off the top to keep herself comfortable and was decently wealthy. She found she had a knack for programming at a very young age. By 12 she was changing her grades in the schools database and by 14 she had dropped out of school to steal credit card numbers and identities online. Her parents were the definition of human trash and by the time she was old enough to form her first memory, it had been a cloud of darkness. Her mother would beat her and her father would use her to keep his friends happy while he stole money from them during card games. She was 6 years old when an older man first put his hand on her thigh and smiled at her while her father pulled a card from his sleeve before revealing his winning hand, scooping his earnings into his arms. She cried that night for the first of many, and when her fifteenth birthday came, she ran. The touching turned to assault and the beatings turned to unconsciousness until she'd finally stolen enough money to get away. She rented her this apartment from the shady landlord who ignored her age in exchange for getting paid an extra 50 bucks in cash every month. She had been a teenager moving into her own apartment with only a laptop and a sleeping bag.

Soon stolen credit card information from the internet turned into larger jobs. It wasn't long before people asked her to work million dollar cases, even at the young age of 17.

Now that Cassidy was 26, and had more money then she knew what to do with, maybe it was time for her to move like her neighbor had. She had a baby now, and she knew this building was anything but safe. She called one of her contacts to look at real estate in the city, wanting a single family home in a quiet neighborhood. With the promise of a good bonus, she knew her associate would find her a place quickly and move her in shortly after. The apartment had made sense for the past few years, hiding her immense wealth under the illusion of a single woman living in poverty. She smiled, pushing Violet on the swing as she giggled, imagining her new life and bright future with her daughter.

“What's so funny?” A man suddenly appeared beside her, her smile vanishing from her face.

“Don't waste your breath, I'm not interested.” She snapped, taking Violet from the swing and carrying her over to the stroller.

“That's not a very nice way to talk to someone. Just tryin to be friendly.” From what she could gather, the man was in his early 50s and showed no sign of having a child or other reason to be in a park during the early afternoon.

“I don't have to be nice. Leave me alone.” She buckled her daughter into her seat securely before walking down the block towards her home.

When she felt a hand on her shoulder, her blood ran cold and she swung her arm out, knocking the guy in the throat with her fist. He stumbled back, the smell of alcohol hitting her in the face before he was falling away from her.

“You bitch.” He choked out, grabbing his throat. She reached into her pocket to wrap her fingers around the small blade inside.

“We got a problem here?” A dark skinned man full of tattoos strutted down the steps of her apartment building, making his way over to them.

“Just talkin to my girl. No problem.” Her aggressor said, shrinking back when the larger man towered over him.

“Don't look like she wants you talkin to her. Get the fuck outta here, you drunk piece of shit.” The man stood by her side protectively and shoved her attacker back with so much force he fell to the ground, his head slamming against the concrete. He crawled back on his hands before righting himself and scurrying off.

This was the bad part of town, so there was no surprise at the people who continued to walk by, ignoring her distress or the creepy way the man had been leering at her. When the taller, stronger man had knocked him down and no one so much as stopped to look, she knew she had to move. She had the means, she would be out by next week. Somewhere safe to raise her daughter and a nice, quiet place to do her work.

“Thanks, I owe ya one.” She regarded the man who was sitting on the steps again. “How much?” She asked.

His laugh was so genuine that it actually made her smile. “I've already been paid, Miss.” He watched her grab her daughter from the stroller and fold it up to make it up the stairs easier. Her hands were full, so he opened the door.

“Have you been following me?” She asked, his silence answer enough. She was officially uneasy, her body on high alert as she clenched her daughter close to her chest. She walked into her apartment, leaving the stroller in the hall, and fell against her closed front door in a broken heap of tears.

“Why you cryin, mama?” A voice called out from her living room. It was bright, the sun streaming in through every window in the middle of the afternoon. She flinched at the intrusion, shielding her daughter against her as best she could as the little girl drifted off to sleep in her arms.

“You're in my apartment.” She whispered, wiping the tears that streamed down her face as she sat on the floor. She hugged her daughter tighter, sobbing softly into her hair as she slept.

“Yea, I wanted to chat. Seems like a bad time now, though.” He said, crouching down in front of her as she continued to hide her face. He reached out to touch her chin, lifting her face up to look at him. Her eyes were red as she stared back at him and he could feel her body shaking against his hand.

There was a hard knock on the door behind her, causing her to flinch away from him.

“Go put Violet down. I'll get the door.” Rio said, gently pushing Cassidy to the side as she got to her feet and walked to the babies room.

Rio threw the door open and allowed the man from earlier into her home.

“Demon.” He greeted, clapping his associate on the shoulder.

  
“You were right, boss. That guy's been watching her.” Rio's eyes narrowed at this information. He nodded in response and passed his associate a black canvas bag.

When Cassidy walked back out, she gave Demon a small wave. “Thanks for helping me.” She said softly, rubbing the back of her neck. She had taken her hair down from its french braid and it was a tangle of curls falling down her shoulders. Her eyes looked sadder then Rio was use to seeing them.

“Just doing my job, kid. You punched him pretty good all on your own. Probably didn't even need my help.” He said kindly, taking the bag with him as he left.

Cassidy dragged her feet into the kitchen and pulled out her teapot, filling it with water and setting it on the stove to heat up. She lifted herself onto the counter beside it and crossed her legs. She sat comfortably, perched there like it was her usual spot. There was a small table with chairs only a few feet away, but Rio thought she looked right sitting there instead, her dark brown eyes watching him as he stared at her.

“Why are you here?” She asked with an exhausted sigh, tracking him with her eyes as he walked closer. He stood right in front of her and put his hands on either side of her hips, palms down around her on the counter top.

“What happened?” He asked, trying to ignore the rage that bubbled inside of him when her eyes glazed over in tears.

“Why are you asking me? Your buddy was just here. I'm sure he told you.” She said, her voice bitter as she looked at him.

“Maybe I wanna hear it from you.” He said simply, reaching up to the cabinet beside her head and taking out two ceramic mugs. His face was a breath away from hers as he closed the cabinet, setting the mugs on the table and taking a seat in one of the chairs she had earlier ignored.

“How did you get into my apartment?” She countered his question with her own, hopping down off the counter when the kettle whistled. She poured the water into the mugs and set them down in front of Rio. He watched her shapely legs and the curve of her ass as she turned to grab two teabags and drop them in the steaming mugs.

“I had a job for you. Wanted to make an offer.” He said casually, looking at the chair across from him, telling her wordlessly to sit down. She did and held her warm mug between her slender hands.

She returned the answer with her own. “Nothing worth telling happened. Men come after me all the time. Apparently, I look stupid and helpless.” She rolled her eyes at this, knowing she's the opposite of both those things.

  
“Girl like you should learn how to protect herself. 'Specially in your line of work.” He said smugly, tipping his chair back and putting his feet on the table. She narrowed her eyes at him.

“I can protect myself just fine.” She glared. No sooner had the words left her mouth did Rio set all four legs of the chair back on the ground and lean across the table with fire in his eyes. He passed a packet across to her that he took from inside his jacket. She pulled it from his hands and pushed it aside as their conversation got more heated.

“Sounds like my guy had to solve the problem for you. Probably would've been raped and beaten to a pulp if I didn't have him trailing you the past few weeks.” He said, eyes angry at her seemingly nonexistent self preservation.

Her face sobered suddenly, eyes losing their anger and flooding with disappointment as she gazed at him. Her tongue licked her teeth for a moment before she bit the inside of her mouth, thoughts swirling around her head.

Rio waited for her response, which turned out to be more heartbroken then he was prepared for.

“Is that what you think of me? Some helpless little girl who's asking to be raped just for taking a walk in the middle of the day?” Tears filled her eyes but she blinked them back before one dared to slip down her cheek.

“I aint mean -” She shook her head, cutting him off as he attempted to slide a hand across the table to grab hers. Before he could get another word out, her fingers gripped the knife in her pocket and she struck without hesitation.

She watched his hand slide towards her and stabbed the knife so hard through his hand that it stuck into the wood beneath it.

“Fuck!” He exclaimed, shooting back out of his chair, his hand unable to be moved from the table. He shot daggers at her with narrowed eyes, Cassidy lifting the mug to her lips and taking a long sip.

He opened his mouth to yell but stopped when she reached out and ripped the knife from his hand, tossing it into the kitchen sink nearby. Then, the unbelievable happened. Rio clutched his injured hand to his chest and  _laughed_ . A genuine, hearty laugh, white teeth barred and eyes locked on hers.

She eyed him suspiciously, sitting back in her chair, tense under his scrutiny.

“Just when I think I got you figured out, you find a way to surprise me.” Rio smirked, blood staining his jacket where he was holding his injured hand against his body.

“Should've given you a fake name.” She muttered, a single tear escaping the corner of her eye and falling onto the table.

“You're probably right about that.” He agreed, standing up and heading for the bathroom. Cassidy was confused even further by this. She had just stabbed him and he wasn't shouting a single threat her way.

“So, you gonna stitch this up or what?” He called out from the tiny bathroom.

She rolled her eyes and sighed. “I guess." She whispered, following him into the room where he had already grabbed her large medical kit.

“This is a lot more then your run of the mill mommy first aid kit for cuts and scraps. You got secrets, don't you, sweetheart?” Rio said, laying his hand in the sink, blood beading down the sides and swirling around the white, porcelain drain.

“Yea, I got secrets. Now hold still.” She said, threading a needle and setting it aside.

  
“Not from the U.S either, are ya?” He continued to pry, even as his hand stung with the alcohol she poured over it, none too gently. Her eyes shot up at the accusation.

“What makes you say that?” She asked, pressing a towel over the hole in this hand to stop the bleeding. She got to her feet and put all of her weight against his hand on the sink counter, pressing as hard as she could, looking away from him as he answered.

“Not gonna call ICE on you or anything, mami.” He assured her, sitting on the edge of the tub while his hand throbbed against the sink.

“I'm from Italy.” She offered quietly, looking up from his hand to his eyes to find him already watching her. He offered a smirk in return.

“Explains that dark skin of yours.” Rio replied, continuing to watch her even when she looked away, her attention back on the hand she had injured.

She worked in silence for long, draw out moments before the blood had stopped enough for her to begin the stitches.

She jumped when his other hand came up to her cheek, his fingers brushing against her skin gently.

“Why aren't you more upset? I stabbed you.” She whispered, leaning into his touch, despite her better judgment.

He nodded, moving his hand up to shove her hair back, letting his fingers push into the waves at the back of her neck, holding her there.

“Got me good, can't deny that. Said a pretty shitty thing to ya though, didn't I?” He countered, running his fingers through her dark locks carefully.

She nodded her head in agreement, pulling away from him to grab the needle. She pushed her hair behind her ears quickly and did all she could to distract herself enough to keep the tears at bay.

“You proved me wrong pretty fast, though.” He smirked, watching as she moved towards his injury cautiously. One hand gripped his forearm while the other dipped the needle into his skin for the first time. He barely flinched and she looked up in surprise at this.

“It's not my first set of stitches.” He said, nodding towards his hand, urging her to continue.

“Sorry.” She muttered, barely audible as she dipped the needle in a second time, pulling it snug.

“What was that, sweetheart?” He prodded, putting his uninjured hand to his ear. She rolled her eyes at him and stabbed his hand just a bit harder the third time.

“I'm sorry. Believe it or not, I don't enjoy hurting anyone. Even you.” She said with a small smile, stroking his forearm with her fingers as she continued the stitches. He covered her hand with his uninjured one, stopping her stokes.

“You gotta get out of this neighborhood, Cassidy.” He whispered, his voice rough like gravel. “You aint belong here with these low lifes.”

“Yea, you're right. My neighbor was kind of a thug, but thankfully he moved out.” She smiled at him, wrapping his hand with cloth bandages before tying it off.

“Met that guy a few times. He can be a real dick.” Rio said, watching her clean up the bathroom, tossing bloody towels into her small white garbage can.

“I kind of liked him.” She shrugged, pushing him out of the small room once it was back in order. He headed for the front door and she followed close behind him.

“Look over the paperwork. I could use someone on my payroll with your set of skills.” He said, his business voice back on. She instantly missed the earlier tenderness in his eyes.

“Never worked for someone before. Just odd jobs here and there. Working for you sounds like it could be dangerous.” She expressed her concern, earning a raised eyebrow and smirk from him in response.

“Yea, it can be.” He shrugged, opening the door and stepping out into the hall. “Think I proved today that I can keep ya safe.” She met him at the door, ready to close it behind him.

“I'll look it over.” And just like that, the door separated them from one another again and she instantly felt the distance like a cold chill over her entire body.


	5. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

Another week passed and Cassidy took her time looking over the packet containing her job offer. It explained her responsibilities, expectations, and pay. It also detailed at great length the risk she would be agreeing to if she accepted. She was overseeing the moving company she'd hired to pack up her possessions when she noticed Demon outside her window. She peered through the glass to see the large man sitting on a bus bench across her street, looking to be reading a book but glancing up and down the street more then at the pages in front of him. She narrowed her dark eyes in confusion, but had no other choice but to ignore it, her full attention on the busy day of moving ahead.

A few more hours passed and the moving truck was on its way to her new home while she stood in her empty apartment. Violet babbled on her hip as she took one last glance around, making sure she had everything she needed. She grabbed her car keys, ready to follow the moving truck to her new home when a fist pounded on her door.

Cassidy opened it just a crack to see who it was, rolling her eyes and throwing it open the rest of the way when Demon stared back at her.

She set Violet down to crawl around the empty space one last time before turning back to the older man, her eyes narrowed in confusion. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

“Just here to make sure you get to your car without any trouble.” He explained briefly, his eyes moving from Cassidy to the small baby pulling open the empty kitchen cabinets a few feet away.

“I don't need a bodyguard.” She huffed in annoyance, picking Violet up and heading outside, Demon directly behind her the whole time.

“This is like having a very obvious stalker. At least come walk next to me.” She sighed, waving him over.

“Yes, miss.” He said politely, his large figure towering over her as they entered the dark parking garage. It was early evening and she was exhausted. Between caring for her daughter, signing the papers for her new house and packing up her life, she was ready to relax with some Chinese takeout and a beer on the floor of her new place. Before she could think anymore about the rest of her evening, her car came into view with a man already leaning against it. Demon stood taller beside her, crossing his arms when they came to a stop.

“I see you had the baby.” The man said, pushing off her car and taking a step closer.

“That's no concern of yours. Leave me alone.” She said firmly, walking around the man to buckle her daughter into her car seat. She could feel Demon behind her, watching the other mans every move. He looked the same as he did the last time she saw him that day in her apartment. The large, white man had traded in his police uniform for street clothes this time, but he was just as threatening as before.

“This your new boyfriend?” He asked, looking Demon up and down. The dark skinned man showed no sign that he even heard him, paying close attention to Cassidy and Violet more then the petty bait being thrown his way.

“Sure,” She dismissed, her tone bored. “You come to stab me in the arm again or can I be on my way?” She asked, earning a glare from Demon.

“This the guy who did that?” He asked, his eyes harder as he regarded the off duty officer.

Before she could answer, the other man extended his hand to Demon.

“Name's Chad.” He introduced himself with a cocky grin. His hand was ignored, Demon letting out a huff of amusement instead.

“ 'Course it is.” He smirked, opening the drivers side door, and ignoring the man once again.

“Get in the car, Miss De Luca.” He said, extending his arm to Cassidy.

“How do you know my last name?” She had to ask as she walked up to him.

“It's my job to know.” He said simply, pushing her shoulders gently until she was seated behind the wheel, slamming the door behind her. All she could hear were muffled whispers before a soft pop made her flinch. She barely had time to look back and see Chad's body drop before Demon got into the car beside her.

She didn't ask any questions, wordlessly putting the car in drive and heading to her new home.

“You're surprisingly quiet for someone whose boyfriend just got killed.” Demon eventually said, rolling down his window after a good ten minutes of silence. He let his arm hang down the side as she turned on to a quiet street, a small farmhouse coming into view.

“He wasn't my boyfriend. He was a piece of shit cop who tried to kill me and I'm sure many other woman.. The world's better off." She said harshly, pulling the car into the dusty strip of road that acted as a driveway.

Even with the events of the past half hour, she smiled when she finally laid eyes on her house. She paid for it in cash and other underhanded legalities so this was the first time she was actually seeing it in person. Her friend had done well in finding exactly what she was looking for. There were acres of forest around the home, a small light illuminating the front, wraparound porch. The siding was a a dark brown and there wasn't another house around for miles. It offered the seclusion and privacy that she needed for her job, with the cozy feel she wanted for her daughter.

“It's a nice place, kid.” Demon said, getting out of the car first so he could open her door. The moving truck was already parked in the grass in front of the home. She grabbed Violets carrier out of the car before going to meet the men standing in front of it.

She unlocked the large front door to let the movers in, wasting no time in unloading her furniture and other boxes where she told them to. By the time the movers left, it was later then she anticipated, her phone showing that it was nearing midnight. She didn't have it in her to assemble a crib this late at night, so she unfolded her daughters pack and play and put it in her new, albeit cluttered, room. She would tackle that room first tomorrow, making sure Violet had a nice place to call her own before she worried about any other room in the house. But tonight, once the little girl was asleep, she collapsed on her old L shaped couch and let her body relax. She even had an entire three minutes to enjoy that feeling before the sound of the screen door sliding open had her on her feet and walking into the other room.

When she got to the rustic kitchen where the sound had come from, Rio was already stepping inside and sliding the glass closed behind him. He had a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a plain white bag in the other.

“Where's the baseball bat, Sweetheart? I could be a criminal.” He greeted with a smirk.

“If there's a severed head or someones fingers in there, I'm going to be very upset.” She said casually, taking the bag from his outstretched hand and setting it on the large marble island between them.

“Toes and other limbs you're good with though, yea?” He smirked, walking behind her and letting his hand graze across her back as he passed. He made himself at home on one of her bar stools and brought the now opened bottle of whiskey to his lips.

When she peered inside the bag she sighed with relief and started unpacking the contents. It wasn't a body part of any kind, but piping hot takeout food that smelled like absolute heaven.

“I'll never turn down food, but perhaps next time you can give me a heads up. Let me put some actual clothes on.” She said, swiping the bottle from his hands and taking a long sip herself. He couldn't help the curve of his mouth as he watched her. She was definitely not dressed for company that night. Her hair was in two braids on either side of her head, hanging down past her shoulders. She was in a pair of black lace boy short panties and a tight red tank top, clearly ready for sleep instead of a social call.

“I'll be sure to keep surprising you then.” He drawled out, doing nothing to hide how his eyes were dragging over every inch of her exposed, olive colored flesh.

She put the food between them and leaned over the counter, tossing a plastic fork at him. He had a good view of her defined chest as she leaned forward, stabbing a piece of orange chicken with her fork and popping it into her mouth.

A moan escaped her lips at the taste and she threw her head back. “Delizioso.” She said, grabbing the bottle from between them and taking a drink.

Rio muttered a curse to himself, taking a large pull from the bottle. He needed to drown the memory of her Italian accent before it could become ingrained in his brain forever.

She barely heard what he said, pushing the chicken over to him and stealing the container of veggies he had been eating from. He raised his brow at her but said nothing, watching her enjoying the food bringing him too much pleasure to do anything that might stop it.

“So, you wanna tell me why you've been having your friend follow me?” She asked, rummaging around in the bag and pulling out a small container of egg rolls.

“You sure can eat for such a little thing.” He evaded, nudging her hand away and stealing an egg roll for himself, earning a smug look from the fiery brunette in front of him.

“I'll make you a deal.” She said, wiping her mouth and leaning against the counter again. Rio did his best to keep his eyes on hers and not on her exposed chest.

“Mhm?” He regarded her, feigning boredom. He took another drink, officially feeling the effects of the alcohol.

“You answer one of my questions, I'll answer one of yours.” She offered, lifting herself up onto the counter now to sit directly in front of where he was eating. She crossed her legs and faced him, taking a container of noodles in her lap to continue eating. Rio wasn't sure if he had ever seen anything as charming and endearing as her aversion to chairs.

“What's makes you think I have questions?” He countered, his eyes roaming over her legs that were crossed right at eye level in front of him. She only had a pair of panties on and he was finding it more distracting then he was comfortable with. He pushed himself out of the stool and crossed the room, scoring a puzzled look from Cassidy.

She shrugged at his answer and finished eating, jumping off the counter and tossing the empty containers into the take out bag before tossing that into the garbage.

“Fuck.” He muttered to himself, running his hand over his head in frustration. She looked over at him with curiosity.

“How much have you had to drink?” She laughed, ready to push passed him into the living room only to be stopped suddenly. He shot his arm out, slamming his hand against the door frame before she could walk through it. Her body slammed into his arm and knocked the air from her lungs as her chest hit his hard muscles.

“Rio, what the hell?” She asked, bracing her own hand against his forearm, feeling his muscles flex and tighten under her touch as she tried to catch her breath.

“Get back on the counter.” He barely got the words out, his teeth clenched together in irritation.

“What?” She asked, finding herself unable to move away from him when she knew that would be the smartest thing to do.

Rio reached both hands up with such a swiftness that she didn't register what he was doing until it was done. He tugged the two elastic bands from her hair and ripped them out painfully. She flinched at the sting and locked her eyes on his with annoyance, ready to tell him to fuck off. Before she could say anything, however, he was advancing towards her until her butt hit the counter and he had backed her up against it. He was pressed up against her in every way, his heart pounding against her own as their chests collided. When she breathed out, he breathed it right back in. He stared at her pink lips before repeating himself, his words slower and more deliberate then before. His fingers dug into her skin as he gripped either side of her waist.

“Get back on the _fucking_ counter, Cassidy.” He demanded, lifting her up to do just that before his lips were on hers like fire. Her ass was on the edge of the marble surface, allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist, locking her ankles together at his back. Rio groaned into her mouth as he tasted the alcohol on her lips and felt the softness of her skin where he pushed up her tank top.

The sound of surprise she would've made got lost in his mouth when he kissed her with unexpected passion. His hands untangled her braids carefully before he shoved his fingers deep into her dark waves, pulling her head down to kiss her harder.

Cassidy wrapped her arms around his shoulders, running her hands down the tight muscles of his back as she kissed him with everything she had. A small squeal escaped her lips when he yanked her off the counter with no warning, hands on her ass to hold her up against him.

He smirked into the kiss, biting her bottom lip playfully. “I'm not gonna drop ya, Sweetheart.” He said against her mouth, walking them towards the living room. She expected to be deposited on the couch, surprised when that didn't happen. He gripped her ass tighter in his strong hands and slammed her against the wall right next to her mounted TV. She gasped into his mouth before he ripped it away, giving her a chance to breathe while he trailed hot, open mouth kisses down her neck and over her collar bone.

She couldn't help grinding into him when he sucked hard on her pulse point, marking her. Cassidy's nails dragged down his back, Rio rewarding her with a moan from deep in his throat.

Her entire body wanted nothing more then to stay pressed against him forever, but her brain was working overtime, begging her to think her actions through.

“Rio, we can't” She whispered, the words barely strong enough to escape her mouth. He dragged his lips from her neck back to her mouth, kissing her hard with one hand on her cheek. She sighed into him, kissing him back with just as much heat.

“Sure we can.” He said against her mouth, grabbing the back of her thighs and squeezing them affectionately. He crossed the room to sit on the couch, bringing her down to sit in his lap. Her hands dragged down his arms to grab his hands, lacing their fingers together in a moment of tenderness. She was getting ready to pull them from her body, but the intimacy of her touch caused him to stop on his own. It was like a bucket of ice water had been thrown on his body by the way he pulled away from her so quickly.

“You right, this aint professional.” He said, taking her hips one last time to toss her off his lap. She landed gracelessly on the couch beside him in a broken heap. He stood up right away, putting as much distance as he could between them.

Cassidy watched him with pity in her eyes as he crossed the room, heading straight for the glass door he had walked through an hour before.

“You got an answer for me about the job?” He asked, the mask of macho business man firmly back in place.

She shook her head. “Don't do that.” She whispered, standing up to meet him in the kitchen. He tried to ignore her advance, pulling his phone from his pocket and giving it his attention, but that wouldn't work with her.

She stood in front of him, her hair disheveled from his fingers and her lips already bruising. She boldly put both hands on his face, cupping his cheeks and forcing him to look at her. He stared at her, half with surprise and half with anger. How dare someone touch him like that. He was the bad guy, undeserving of such warmth and affection.

“Don't change the subject to work. You're trying to disappear on me.” She whispered, rubbing her thumb over the rough skin on his right cheek.

“Nah, mami, just got distracted. Wont happen again.” He promised, grabbing her wrists and shoving her hands off his face with enough force to make her stumble back. She moved her shoulders up slightly to hide her face with the help of her dark hair acting as a curtain.

She nodded, understanding where she stood very clearly for the first time. “I read over the terms. They seemed fair, although we will need to discuss the schedule I'm expected to stick to.” If he wanted to be all business then she could do that. It would be smart to keep him in a box if she wanted to protect herself from being hurt.

“Fair enough. Demon will be in touch.” He said, hand on the door, ready to make his exit.

“Why did he kill that guy today after he found out he was the one who stabbed me?” She asked. His back was turned to her, his body halfway out the door.

“G'night, Cassidy.” He replied sharply, clicking the door closed once he was out of it. She refused to watch him walk away, instead locking the door and going back to the living room. She looked through the small mirror near the front door and couldn't help the tears that filled her eyes.

It was happening again. She was starting to care for a man she knew would hurt her. And she couldn't be more upset with herself for that. She was suppose to be strong and smart and so much _better_ then this.

She tried to put him in a box towards the back of her mind. Tried to organize the relationship in her brain as professional. That proved hard to do when she had tasted him only moments ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think xoxox


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been months since she's heard from Rio. Does he think about her as much as she tries not to think about him?

**Chapter Six**

She spent the week after their encounter doing as much research as she could about the man from her kitchen and the people he worked with. A month went by without a single word from her new boss. Then another month. And by the fifth month, she was focusing her time on the usual side hustles she worked to earn a living. She had so much wealth stored away that she wasn't missing the income the past few months, but it felt good to get back to work. She was currently helping a charity in Chicago that was raising money to build more shelters for woman escaping domestic abuse. She would hack into the bank accounts of wealthy politicians and reroute their cash flow to the charity anonymously, giving herself a hearty chunk for her efforts. She slammed her computer closed for the day and went into the living room to check on Violet. She was walking now and getting into absolutely everything.

  
Cassidy had worked tirelessly to make her house into a home for her and her daughter. She had organized and painted the little girls room first. It was a good sized bedroom, the walls now a warm yellow with cream colored curtains over the two small windows. A crib sat in one corner with a small dresser on the other side of the room. The closet space was limited, but fit all her clothes and toys comfortably enough.

She painted the rest of the ranch style home a light gray, except for the master bedroom which had one wall painted a deep, forest green. Her bed sat against that wall, her gray headboard matching the color beautifully. She grabbed the pack and play to drag into her room, setting Violet inside with a few of her toys.

“I'm just going to take a shower, Bug. I'll be right back.” Cassidy kissed her daughters head as she babbled, grabbing one of her books and putting the cover in her mouth with a laugh.

“Such a silly girl.” She smiled down at the toddler, heading into the en suite and leaving the door open so she could still hear her daughter.

She stripped out of her clothes and stepped into the steaming glass shower, taking the time to relax under the hard stream of water as it beat down against her back. When she heard her daughter start to laugh from the other room, she hurried along to finish her routine. She washed her body and hair quickly before wrapping a plush, green towel tightly around herself. She grabbed a smaller towel from under the sink and started to dry her hair with it as she walked back into her bedroom. It turned out, Violet hadn't been laughing to herself, but at another person. Cassidy shrieked in surprise, pressing her hand to her bare chest as she tried to slow her racing heart.

“Fuck, Demon.” She exclaimed, tightening the towel around herself even more before snatching her daughter from the pack and play. She held her against her chest, backing away cautiously from the older man who was sitting casually on the love seat she had on the other side of her bedroom.

“Sorry, Miss.” He said politely, bowing his head in an attempt at giving her privacy. “I'm here to discuss your contract.”

“It's been 5 months. That's still valid?” She asked, standing a good distance away from him still.

  
He nodded once and stood up, his body seeming almost too large for the room.

“Ok...” She said carefully. “Let me get dressed and we can talk.”

“I can take her if you want. Got a nephew her age, swear I wont drop her.” He offered, extending his hands and looking much more like a gentle giant then the murderous thug she knew him to be.

“Alright.” She conceded, passing Violet over to the dark skinned man, his tattooed arms lifting her with ease into the air. If she knew anything, it was that she was an excellent judge of character. And she knew this man meant them no harm.

“I'll take her into the other room, give you some privacy.” He said, averting his eyes as best he could from her as he walked out.

“Fuck.” She whispered to herself, throwing a pair of dark skinny jeans on with a simple maroon t shirt. She padded out of the room in her bare feet to join Demon in the living area. He was bouncing Violet on his knee, his cell phone pressed to his ear. She almost laughed to herself at how unbothered she was when she caught site of the gun tucked away under his jacket just inches from her daughter.

“You got it boss.” He spoke into the receiver before tucking it back into his pocket. She knew that must've been Rio, but she said nothing.

“Little thing grew so much.” The older man said, setting Violet down on the ground gently. She waddled on chubby feet to the corner with her toy box and books, playing quietly by herself.

“It's been half a year.” Cassidy said with sass, crossing her arms defiantly but sitting down none the less right beside him on the couch.

“Well, your vacation officially ends now, kid. It's gonna be long hours and shady deals from here on out.” He said playfully, cracking his knuckles with his elbows resting on his burly knees.

“Probably gonna have to look into hiring some child care, huh?” She questioned, looking over at her daughter who was babbling to herself as she flipped through a thick board book.

“You aint got a sister or something she can stay with sometimes?” He questioned with a raised brow.

Cassidy shook her head, offering no other information.

“You're all alone, aint ya?” His eyes showing admiration more then pity.

She simply shrugged. “I do okay.”

“I don't doubt it. But you'll need help for sure. Sometimes, these jobs can last a few days at a time and you'll need someone who can come with no notice.” He was officially discussing at length what her job would entail.

“Got any suggestions? I don't exactly know anyone around here.” She said, crossing her legs up on the couch and turning to face him. She wanted to make sure she understood everything she needed to know and already had plenty of questions. She grabbed her computer from the coffee table Demon had his feet perched on and opened it to a blank page.

“Probably shouldn't write this stuff down.” He said carefully. “Don't want anyone getting their hands on this shit. Need to know basis and all that.”

A loud but feminine laugh filled the room at this, earning a glare in her direction.

“Sorry.” She apologized, typing a few lines into her computer and getting ready to take more notes. “It's just... I'm a hacker. That's my job. I promise you no one can get into this computer but me.”

“You'd better hope not. Anyone does and it could be your life.” He warned her. After all, he was here to convey just how dangerous the job she'd accepted actually was.

“Am I able to ask what kind of work you guys do? We talkin guns? Drugs? Cars?” She asked casually, no judgment or concern in her tone. She had dealt with all of these before and above all, she was intelligent. She wasn't afraid of the risk or the law and she was confident she could handle any job she was required to do to bring money home for her small family. She wanted her daughter to have a comfortable life: Go to college, buy a car, have all the opportunities she never did. If she had to break the law to make that happen, she honestly didn't give a fuck.

“Yes.” He said simply. He waited with an amused grin on his face while she took notes and asked more questions.

“Woman?” She asked, her face suddenly stern.

“No.” He vowed, his voice firm.

“That's a hard limit for me.” She said.

“You will eventually gain a reputation for being associated with us. Dangerous people might find you somewhat of a threat.” He informed her.

“I'm assuming I'll be compensated for that risk?” She asked, unfazed.

He nodded, regarding her carefully. “You're not new to this kinda shit, are you? Sounds like your life has been at risk before.”

“Can't remember a single time it hasn't been.” She laughed, earning a sad look from Demon before he masked it and got back to business.

“Can you tell me more about the schedule? Will I be expected to meet clients or is this a mostly working from home on my computer situation.”

“Your main job is cleaning the money. Can't exactly walk around with dirty bills. We need you to take that money and make it legit. Put it into bank accounts that are accessible to us.”

“So wire the cash to so many different locations that by the time it gets back here its untraceable? How many different accounts? Am I going to act as the HR and deposit money into everyone's pockets?” She kept typing as she spoke.

“One account.” He replied, watching as the little girl in the corner got to her feet and stumbled back over to the couch. He scooped her up and set her on the couch between them. Cassidy poked her daughter in the tummy playfully before turning her attention back to the older criminal.

“One account?” She repeated with disbelief. “That's completely moronic to keep everyone's money in one account.”

“It's not everyone's. We have an HR already.” He joked, throwing her words back at her playfully.

“So, I'd be in charge of the boss mans money. Cleaning it and making it digitally untraceable?” Her typing continued as he answered.

“Yes. But I'll be your contact.” He explained.

“Christopher is more of a delegator, huh?” She said with a smirk, as if she knew a joke no one else was in on.

Demon reached across and shut her laptop, the sudden action making Cassidy jump. “Hey!” She exclaimed, setting the computer back down on the table before committing the rest of her attention to glaring at him with annoyance.

“How the hell would you know that name?” He snapped at her, getting to his feet. She was unaffected, reacting only with a roll of her eyes.

“You think I was going to get a shady job offer from a gang leader and not do a little digging? I'm not an idiot.” She said, picking Violet up to sit on her lap. She wrapped up her tiny hands and blew into the palms, making the small girl explode into a fit of giggles.

“There's no information out there to be found about him. You must've talked to someone. You in touch with another gang somewhere?” He asked, letting his inked up hand wrap around the gun at his waist.

Cassidy sat back on the couch with a bored sigh, her arms around the little girls stomach as she leaned against her chest. She looked at Demon with a lifted brow, dragging her hand through her wet hair, and pulled at a knot of tangles over one shoulder, giving it more attention then the menacing man to her right.

He looked like he finally came to a realization and lowered his hand from his weapon, walking across the room to lean against the wall. “Or you're actually pretty good at this internet crime thing, huh?” He said, almost as an apology.

“You know, the dark web might not be what it looks like in the movies, but it does exist.” She smirked, letting him know there were no hard feelings.

Demon reached into his jacket and withdrew a plain, blue folder. He tossed it down on the table in front of her before heading towards the back door in her kitchen.

“My number's in there if you need to reach out to me. It changes every few days.” He said.

“That sounds like a pain in the ass. I could just encrypt your phones so you didn't have to get burners all the time." She offered, taking Violet by the hand and walking her into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle from the fridge.

Demon turned back to her for a moment. “Really?” He remarked, impressed.

“Sure, I did it to my own phone. I've had the same number since I was 15 and even the FBI couldn't trace it.” Her tone indicating it was no big feat of accomplishment for her.

“I'll see what the boss says. Your first assignment is in that folder. Along with a list of nanny's who are trusted by the gang.” He explained. “Enjoy your day De Luca ladies. Tomorrow the real work begins.”

Once she locked the door behind him, she took Violet into her bedroom to finish her bottle while she looked through the folder, her laptop open beside her on the bed.

The files inside showed where money was being laundered and the small accounts they were currently in around the world. She laughed to herself. _They were making it so much more complicated then it needed to be._

One of the papers inside also explained a rival gangs activities in the area, not too far from her own home. Another explained that there was a scheduled delivery of what seemed to be pills happening tomorrow. She wanted to see how their drops worked to get a feel for the process she was now actively a part of.

She set up a meet with one of the nanny's to come over in an hour. She didn't want to leave her daughter with just anyone, especially if all she knew about them was that her new gang friends trusted them.

It turned out, she had nothing to worry about because the girl that showed up at her door was quite possibly the sweetest looking teenager she had ever seen. Her name was Brie and she had a soft pink backpack over her shoulders.

“You must be Miss De Luca.” She said after introducing herself, shaking Cassidy's hand politely. She stepped aside to let the young girl into her home.

“Is that your baby?” Brie smiled, rushing over to where Violet was playing and dropping to her knees immediately. The baby handed her a book with excitement, reaching her chubby arms out to her.

“Oh, you want me to read to you?” Brie said with a laugh, picking up the baby and placing her in her lap.

“Yep, that's Violet.” Cassidy said, feeling instantly pacified by her kindness towards her daughter.

“She's so sweet. She's got your eyes. Italian?” She guessed, flipping through the book with the baby while they conversed. Cassidy sat beside them on the floor and smiled.

“You're the second person to say that to me.” She laughed.

“My brother who works with you guys is Italian. Can't mistake those dark, almond shaped eyes you all have.” She said vaguely, indicating she knew about the gang but was also very good with children. That much was clear as Violet babbled away to her.

“Well, when can ya start?” Cassidy chuckled, needing nothing more then her gut feeling to trust this girl with her baby.

“Whenever you need me, I'm available. I hope you don't mind that I will have to work on school stuff when she naps or goes down for the night.”

“Not at all. What are you studying?” She was curious what a sweet girl like this was looking to do with her life.

“I'm finishing up my Bachelors degree this year for education. I want to be a high school English teacher.” Her face lit up as she explained, clearly very passionate about her future.

“Brave woman.” Cassidy said. The two shook hands once more before Brie left, agreeing to come back tomorrow to watch Violet for the day while she worked.

The rest of the day went by in a flash between caring for her baby and making notes in her schedule on the computer. Soon, she had put Violet to sleep and was nursing a glass of wine in the kitchen. She was doing her best not to let her mind wander to Rio and how she missed seeing him these past few months. She definitely wasn't thinking about how his lips tasted like whiskey and cinnamon tooth paste. Instead, she called Demon to discuss tomorrows job, asking if she could ride with him to the delivery tomorrow. He agreed to pick her up at ten, the location 2 hours away across the state. The pick up was dirty cash, and she would be the one to make it digitally legit and distribute it to the right channels.

“Boss will be there runnin the drop. These are dangerous people, so get your head on right before we get there. And put your hair up.” Demon had told her on the phone, earning a sneer in response.

“Excuse me?” Cassidy said, offended at being told how to dress.

“The leader, Carlos, has a thing for brunettes. And between you and me, he's a creepy fucker.” He said vaguely, other voices now in the background, hinting to her that this man did indeed have a family.

“Will I be safe?” She asked, concerned for the first time. She hated not knowing how these things normally went. She liked going into jobs with all the facts, but this seemed to be more of a learning by doing situation.

“Yes. See you at 10.” And with that he hung up, leaving Cassidy to organize her thoughts for the following day. She wrote out a list for Brie about Violet and her phone number to put on the fridge along with the number for the pediatrician.

She got to bed early and awoke at 6am the next morning to her daughter screaming and pulling at her mouth.

“Aw, are you teething baby?” She asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and lifting her from the crib. She brought her into the kitchen to get her a bottle before getting herself some breakfast. She started working on getting Rio's new bank account encrypted when there was a knock on her door. She eyed it suspiciously before grabbing the baseball bat that made the trip with her. She kept it by the front door and she now held it in one hand over her shoulder before opening the door with the other.

“Good morning. You must be Heather.” The man in front of her was tall and thin, no more then 30 years old. He knew the alias she used to purchase the house, so he'd obviously done some digging on her.

“Who wants to know?” She asked, keeping the door half closed. That didn't stop him from shoving it open the rest of the way, making her stumble back. She gripped the bat in her hands tightly, glancing back to the kitchen to check that Violet was still safely in her highchair, nursing her bottle.

“Names Jake. Word on the street is you got involved with a couple of shady characters. Plus, you're new to the area. Would hate for anything to happen that might make you think poorly of the neighborhood.” He threatened, looking over her shoulder towards her daughter. A smile formed slowly across his lips.

“I dare you.” Cassidy warned, her knuckles white as she gripped her weapon, the intimidation only making her feel stronger and more protective.

He laughed, a cold, menacing sound, before he struck. He whipped a gun out from his hip but she was faster. The second he moved, she swung, connecting the end of the metal bat with his skull hard enough to knock him to the ground.

“Son of a bitch.” He choked out, clearly having trouble speaking while he tried to get to his feet.

“I'd get out of my house before I feel like killing you instead.” She snapped, holding the bat up on her shoulder again, ready to use it if she needed to.

“I'll make sure to tell the boys that Rio got himself a new little secretary. And she's a feisty one.” He winked, looking her up and down in a way that would've made her shiver if her adrenaline wasn't so high. He stumbled to his feet, blood trailing behind him from the side of his head as he walked out of her front door.

“Shit.” She said to herself, slamming the door shut and dialing Demon in the same breath. He showed up in less then thirty minutes, bursting through the screen door and into her kitchen like he owned the place. It was an hour before their scheduled pick up and he was radiating rage.

“Whoa, calm down. It's not a big deal.” She said, passing Violet to the large man in front of her. “Here, hold a cute baby, you'll feel better.”

“Not a big deal she says.” He laughed, holding the baby to his hip and bouncing her without missing a beat. When the doorbell rang for the second time that day, Demon instantly took out his gun and went to answer it.

“Dude, it's the babysitter. Get outta here with that.” She said, pushing him aside to answer the door and let Brie in. Violet instantly reached for the teenager.

“Hi honey!” She exclaimed, putting her backpack on the couch and grabbing the baby. Violet had thick brown hair that grew longer every day and Brie was instantly fussing over it, calling her a beautiful princess and taking her into her room, sensing that she had interrupted a conversation.

“Briella!” Demon called out once she had disappeared into Violets room. “We are gonna have to head out a little early. There was an incident.”

“Ok!” She called out. She had changed the babies diaper and handed her back over to Cassidy to say goodbye.

Moments later they were in the car, heading to their destination. Half the ride was spent explaining what had happened with Jake. Demon revealed that he was a lackey for a rival gang in the area that wanted to cook meth and distribute in their area. They had trouble with them regularly, usually harmless shit. Showing up at her door so soon after she had joined, however, was certainly cause for concern.

“He touch you?” Demon asked, pulling up to their destination a while later. “Boss man's gonna lose his shit if he did.” He muttered to himself.

  
“No” She answered, ignoring the last part. “Tried to, but I knocked him in the head with a baseball bat.” She sat back in her seat as he turned the car off. He was scanning his eyes up and down the street, nodding his head when he spotted Rio's car down the block. He started the car again and followed his boss into a nearby deserted parking garage.

Cassidy watched as Rio got out of his car and walked over to a van on the other side of the garage. Demon's full focus was on their boss now, and she paid close attention to everything that was happening. When the back of the van opened up, a man she assumed to be Carlos stepped out, shaking Rio's hand. It was then that Demon finally got out of the car, indicating to Cassidy to follow.

She was in a pair of jeans and an over sized hoodie, her hair tied up in a high ponytail per Demons request. Her black converse smacked against the pavement as she followed Demon over to where the exchange was happening.

“This what we agreed on?” Rio was saying, moving to look through the back of the van now that his right hand man was there to watch his back.

“Everything is there.” Carlos vowed, his focus shifting from Rio to the brunette in front of him.

“Who is this beauty?” He leered, extending his hand to her. She starred at it but did nothing more.

“Heather.” She said, shifting her weight to her right foot, appearing bored.

“She's a new associate of ours.” Rio said, hopping down from the truck. “Looks to be all there. I'll drive it back, Demon and Heather will take the payment.” He was about to hop into the drivers seat when his hand froze on the handle. They had been doing business with Carlos for a long time, but what he said next still surprised the two men. It also caused Cassidy to take a step back as a reflex.

“She for sale?” He asked as if it was the most simple question in the world.

“Like hell I am.” Cassidy spat with a humorless laugh.

“We value our members, Carlos. I would stop before you really piss me off.” Rio warned, stepping away from the van now to get right into the mans space, towering over him to demonstrate his power.

“Of course. As always, it's been a pleasure doing business with you.” He said, shrinking back under Rio's intimidation.

“Oh no homie. I'll be keeping the payment _and_ taking the product.” He said, Demon snatching the bag of money he was going to give the man from the ground. “And next time, I suggest you keep your mouth shut or we will cut off our arrangements with y'all.”

“You can't take all that shit and not pay for it.” Carlos said suddenly, reaching for his gun.

“You best believe I can. Maybe you'll think twice next time before disrespectin me.” Rio said, his gun already out and pressed against the other mans head.

He held his hands up and took two steps backwards towards the direction of his car. Once he was gone, Rio walked over to the other two. It had been almost 6 months since she'd seen him, but he spoke as if no time had passed.

  
“Change of plans. Demon, take the truck and drop it at the site. I'll drive back with _Heather_ ” He said, dragging out her alias while staring her down.

Before she could speak, the dark skinned man she had just spent two hours in the car with did.

“Sir, there was an incident at Miss De Luca's earlier.” He said professionally, handing his boss the keys to his car and taking the van ones in exchange.

Rios eyes instantly flashed to hers. “Is that so?” He drawled, pushing her towards the car. She got into the passenger seat once again while the two men spoke outside for less then a minute.

When he got into the drivers seat, his forearms flexed under the tight hold he was gripping the steering wheel with. He pulled out and a full ten minutes of silence went by. She was convinced he wasn't going to utter a single word to her for the next two hours when he finally decided to speak.

“Heard you had a visitor earlier.” He said, looking at the road, his attention unwavering.

“Some Jake guy. But you already knew that.” She said, looking out the open window. Her hair was blowing in every direction as she took it down from the tight ponytail.

“Demon tell you to put it up?” He asked, gracing her with a quick glance across the console between them.

“Mhhm.” She confirmed, closing her eyes and enjoying the breeze and the luxury of such a nice car. The sun was making her eyes strain as it beat down from high up in the sky during the middle of the afternoon.

“You're a smart woman, so I'm gonna give it to you straight. This job is exactly what went down today. Usually worse. Guns out, shady characters, the whole shebang.” He explained. He expected some type of reaction but what happened next was so much more her style.

She looked around the car casually and when he stopped at a red light, he leaned back and watched her every move with a smirk. She didn't find what she was looking for, so she opened the glove box. She seemed pleased when she found a pair of his blue, aviator ray bans.

“Whatchu think you're doin?” He asked as the light changed. His foot hit the gas as they got onto the highway and went at least 100 mph down the road.

“The sun's hurting my eyes.” She said as if it was obvious, pushing his sunglasses over her dark brown eyes.

“Why aint you more worried about this?” A bit more time passed and they were close to home now. But instead of turning where he should've to get to her house, he turned the other way and pulled the car into a bar on the other side of town.

“No reason to be worried yet. Just some punk kid trying to scare me.” She said, pushing the shades up into her hair and looking out the window.

“Why are we here?” She asked, getting out of the car only when he did.

  
“Aint seen you in a while. Thought we should grab a drink and talk about how we're gonna get you some security up at the house.” He held the door open for her so she could walk into the lounge ahead of him. He couldn't help his eyes watching the curve of her spine as she walked passed him, her long, dark hair in waves down her back.

“Don't need security. I have a baseball bat.” She mocked, shooting him a grin. She made herself at home by sliding into a booth that was tucked away in the corner near a pool table that had seen better days.

Rio let out a genuine laugh at this, perfect white teeth lining his mouth.

  
“Oh, darlin.” He said, smiling at her for the first time in too long and leaning his elbows on the table to be just a little bit closer to her. She leaned away from him instinctively. “We gonna need to get you _extra_ security with that mouth of yours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please send feedback my way, I love hearing from you all xoxo


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quarantine in Chicago sure isn't good for mental illness but it does give me lots of time to write. Let me know how you guys like this chapter.

**Chapter Seven**

Cassidy stuck a single french fry in her mouth as she waited for Rio to speak. When several moments went by, however, she realized he didn't plan on doing such a thing.

“I'd really like to get home.” She said, popping another fry between her lips and taking a sip of diet coke.

“Then let's get this shit outta the way so we can get out of each others hair.” He sat back with his arm slung over the back of the booth, regarding her harshly.

“That's right. I almost forgot how much you hate being around me.” She rolled her eyes, shoving her plate of food away with a sigh.

“Don't care enough about you to hate ya.” He said simply, kicking his feet up on the booth and stealing a fry from her discarded plate.

She bit her lip and nodded slowly, masking just how much those words stung. “My mistake.” She said, mostly to herself.

“Demon should be over at your house by now installing a security system for you and that kid of yours.” His voice laced with such obvious annoyance. She almost flinched back in her seat at his reference to Violet.

“You're in quite the mood today.” She said carefully, wanting to get this conversation over with so she could go home and forget about him for another 6 months.

“Don't like wasting my time talkin' to one of my lower level employees because she can't stay out of trouble. I need you to hack and clean my money. I don't need you bein' the reason I got rival gangs startin shit or your pretty face ruining a business deal I got goin on.” He said, referring to today's events.

“Because I just love when a stranger lets himself into my home and threatens me and 'that kid of mine.'” She spat, throwing his words back at him.

“You better watch that attitude and remember who you work for. This is exactly why I put you with Demon. Can't fuckin' stand that mouth of yours always runnin off.” He said, his eyes filled with anger as he stared at her. She didn't back down, staring at him with just as much animosity.

“No.” She disagreed confidently. “You put me with Demon because you like my mouth too much.” She threw herself out of the booth and stormed out to the deserted parking lot. Before she could start walking in the direction of her house, Rio's hand wrapped painfully around her wrist.

“I've been sleepin with woman left and right since I last saw you, so get over yourself and do your fuckin job.” He said, letting her wrist go like it had burned him just to touch her. She rubbed the sore area, an angry red mark already forming there. “Clean my money, and keep that pretty mouth shut.”

“Whatever you say, boss.” She whispered, all too familiar with this kind of heartless treatment.

He demanded she get back in the car and dropped her off without a word in the driveway. She got out and saw that Demon had in fact installed a video security system on her front door.

“Heard you could encrypt some phones so we wouldn't have to keep using burners. I'll need 20 of em by next week.” Rio figured the best way to keep her safe was to make sure no one thought of her as his weakness. If word got out that he actually cared for a woman, she would be walking around with a target on her back. He had a sister and a nephew that already had to be on their toes 24/7, he didn't need to ruin another persons life just by being apart of it.

“Got it.” She said professionally, before disappearing inside her home. He couldn't help watching her walk away, the jeans she wore hugging every inch of her beautiful, slim legs. He wanted nothing more then to follow her inside and shove his fingers into her dark hair but that would never be possible again. Not if he wanted her to stay alive.

Two more weeks went by and Cassidy was falling into a good rhythm with her job. It was difficult and tedious, but didn't require long hours. She was normally able to knock out her entire list of daily demands within a few short hours while Violet was napping. Rio paid her an outrageous amount of money, more then she was comfortable having. She knew it was compensation for not only her rare skill set, but also the danger she put herself in for the job, but she didn't need it. She kept a large portion of it for herself and put the rest away in a savings account for her daughter.

She was content with the direction her life was going. Working a steady, albeit illegal, job and raising her daughter in a beautiful place they were fortunate enough to call home. She didn't have any complaints until she went out to get the mail that afternoon, Violet on her hip. She discarded the stack of regular envelopes on her coffee table before sitting down with a small, tan package she had received. She set her daughter down to waddle around the living room while she ripped it open.

“Son of a bitch.” She said, all annoyance, no fear, as she pulled out a pair of her lace, thong panties from inside the box. This was a threat if she'd ever seen one. Someone had been inside her home while she'd been away. She was about to toss the box to the floor when a picture caught her eye. She lifted it carefully from the bottom of the box, a hint of fear now spilling into her mind.

The picture was taken about a foot away from her bed, the camera capturing her sleeping soundly, unaware that there was someone in the room with her at that very moment, taking her photo. She threw the offending evidence on the coffee table and rushed to grab Violet. She called Brie immediately to come and take her for the day. She knew the teenager lived with her brother, who was also part of the gang, so Violet would be safer there.

Once her daughter was gone, she dialed Demon right away and explained the situation as calmly as she could. She sat outside on the porch swing, her leg bouncing up and down against the wood beneath her feet as she waited for him.

When he finally arrived a few minutes later, he wasn't alone. Rio stepped out of the car with him, stoic and looking somewhat bored as usual.

“Go check the house.” Rio ordered quickly, Demon taking her front steps two at a time and pushing into the house with no hesitation.

“Come on.” Rio snapped his fingers at her from across the lawn, leaning against the car with dark aviators covering his eyes.

“I'm not a dog.” She snapped back. He tore his sunglasses from his face and tossed them through the window onto the front seat.

“This the first threat you've gotten?” He asked, ignoring her smartass comment.

She nodded, all business just like he wanted.

“Heard any more from that Jake dude that bothered you a few weeks ago?” He asked, towering over her with his tall, muscular form, causing her to take half a step away from him. Whether he was being deliberately intimidating or not, she could still feel the rage radiating from his skin, his eyes harsh on hers.

She shook her head again.

“You know how to talk, girl?” He exclaimed harshly, prodding her in the middle of her chest with his index finger, forcing her to take another unsteady step back.

“What do you want me to say?” She barked back, her own eyes narrowing back at him as she took a step closer to him now, her shoes directly in front of his. “I'm the one getting threatened, Rio. Stop coming at me all pissed like I did something to provoke them. They hate me because I'm good at my job. A job I do for _you._ ” She said, poking her own index finger into his chest this time. He didn't move in the slightest, continuing to stare her down with his caramel colored eyes full of rage.

  
“He was in your bedroom, Cassidy.” His voice softening as he looked her up and down, his fists now clenched at his side. She bit her full, bottom lip under his intense gaze and nodded her head.

“Yea, he was.” She said sadly. “With my kid in the next room.”

“You should've ran that day we met in the hall.” He joked, his words half serious.

“Probably. But I'm here now. And I'm not going to let some thin, creepy, white kid scare me away from a job I happen to like.” She said confidently.

“Don't know why you like it. Hear that boss of yours is a real dick.” He said, reaching out to touch a thick curl that hung over her shoulder.

“He just thinks I'm too dumb to know that he's trying to protect me.” She whispered, looking to the side at his hand holding her hair. He pushed it back behind her ear and stepped away.

“I've been tryin to stay away from ya, but you keep gettin' into all kinds of trouble, don't you?” He teased, the two of them getting into the luxury black car and speeding off towards the highway.

“I'm not going out of my way to get killed, you know.” She said, crossing her arms over her chest with a huff. “Your gang just seems to have a lot of enemies.”

“You'd be smart to remember that next time you wanna act all badass and bust the kneecaps off someone.” He smirked, merging into the fast lane and stepping on the gas. The windows were down and she let her back push into the seat while she relaxed her muscles as best she could after what was proving to be a very long day. She combed her fingers through her hair and tied it up in a messy knot on the top of her head to keep it from whipping around her face. She was about to respond to him when the sun caught a small piece of silver near his knee, the glare blinding her for half a second before her eyes adjusted and she saw what it was. Rio was a simple guy, choosing to have a single key in the ignition instead of an entire ring filled with house keys and the like. She had noticed this about him early on, such a small thing that spoke volumes to her about his personality. However, when she glanced at the key hanging from the ignition now, she noticed a small wolf charm dangling beside it.

_Her_ wolf charm.

“Rio?” Her voice was breathy instead of her usual confident and collected tone. “Is that my charm on your keys?” It couldn't be. That wouldn't make any sense.

“Naw, it's mine. Finders keepers and all that shit.” He grinned, glancing at her for a moment before returning his eyes to the road.

“Ok, new question.” She said slowly, dragging out her words with uncertainty. “Why do you have my charm on your keys.”

“Where's Violets daddy?” He asked suddenly, his question evidence enough that she wasn't going to get the response she was hoping for.

“Couldn't tell you. I don't know who he is.” She shot back at him with venom, offended by the mere inquiry.

“You aint strike me as the sleepin around type.” She watched his eyebrow lift, waiting for a response.

“I can't talk about this. Please don't ask me to.” She begged, turning her body away from him slightly and sticking her tan arm out the window to hang in the breeze.

His head turned to look at her quickly, but her gaze was already averted. His knuckles gripped the steering wheel tighter, his imagination running wild at what might have happened to her. Instead of pushing her to tell him, he answered her question.

“Stole the wolf off your keys that day you got stabbed. Don't know why I kept it.” He shrugged, yanking the object in question off and tossing it into her lap.

She looked down at it, running her thumb over the familiar metal. “You know exactly why you kept it.” She rolled her eyes and reached across the cup holders, reattaching the wolf carefully to his keys. The car pulled to a stop an hour later in an alley behind a run down smoke shop.

“Why are you so afraid of me? I'm just some girl.” She laughed lightly, getting out of the car when he did. He went around to the trunk and popped it open, grabbing his usual black canvas bag.

He howled at this, shooting her a look of disbelief. “Be easier if you was just 'some girl'” He muttered, slamming the trunk closed and setting the bag on top of it. He rifled through the contents before finding what he needed and pushing it into her hands. It was two full stacks of cash that she looked down at with confusion.

“Consider it a bonus. Go in there and use those pretty eyes to get whatever nerdy teenager they got workin there to come outside with you.” He ordered, pushing her between the shoulder blades towards the store. “Got some shit behind the counter I wanna grab.” She shoved the stacks back into his hands before dropping her hip and staring at him with a spiritless expression.

“You're going to pay me a couple grand to go in there and flirt for ten minutes? That's some dumb shit. We have to teach you how to manage your money better.” She scoffed, pulling her hair down from its knot and shaking it out around her shoulders. She pulled her shirt down slightly to show off her cleavage before entering the shop, Rio smirking at her retreating figure. 

“Fuck.” He muttered, going towards the employee entrance and waiting for her to do her part.

Not even a minute later the bell above the front door dinged, Cassidy and a lanky teenage boy taking a seat side by side on the curb outside the shop, laughing loudly.

Rio was in and out in a few seconds, grabbing an ample stash of weed from the backpack behind the display case.

“Hey darlin, who's your new friend?” Rio smirked, coming up behind the two as Cassidy laughed and put her arm on the nerdy boys knee.

The kid took one look at the tattooed gang member and stuttered out a goodbye, scurrying away from the young woman without another word.

“You sure do have an effect on people.” She laughed, standing up from the curb and following him back to the car.

“Comes with the job.” He smirked in response. She went to open her car door but jumped in surprise when he pressed up behind her, slamming her door shut instead. His breath was hot on her neck, the street lamps turning on around them as it grew dark.

“Where's Violet's daddy, Cassidy?” His voice was firm this time, demanding an answer. She turned around to face him, his arms on either side of her, palms pressed against the car near her head.

“Why did you keep my charm?” She countered for the second time that night, his face mere inches from hers.

  
“I wanted to keep a part of you close to me when I couldn't be with you.” He revealed in a rare moment of tenderness, brushing the back of his hand across her cheek.

“Your turn.” He urged, watching her carefully.

  
“I woke up naked in an alley. I don't know what happened or who he is.” A single tear fell down her cheek as she tried to keep her voice steady.

His chest heaved as he took a deep breath in, the tattoo on his neck standing out against his skin from the strain. He slammed his fist against the steel beside her head and she flinched back against the car door. She waited for him to say something but instead he lowered his head just enough to press his lips against hers, his touch affectionate but powerful.

Cassidy brought her hands up to his neck as his words got lost inside her mouth. “I'll handle it.” He seethed, biting her lower lip gently.

“Just leave it alone. It wont change what happened.” She said, pulling back to look up at him.

“I wasn't askin.” He leaned down to kiss her firmly once more, before turning away and walking to his side of the car. “Get in. Got a few more hours before your house is ready and I just got a bunch of weed from your little boyfriend in there.” He grinned, nodding towards the smoke shop.

  
“What are we gonna do? Light up a joint on a park bench like a couple of hobos?” She teased, the two of them heading off in the direction they came.

“Naw, we'll have to settle for my place instead.” He smirked, his perfect set of teeth making her stomach twist.

They pulled into a long driveway on the side of a large, iconic, three flat city home.

“Is this the place you took all those woman you told me about? Left and right, wasn't it?” She asked, following him through a chained fence and into his well kept backyard. There were five chairs positioned around a deep fire pit that he led her towards. He grabbed one of the chairs and tossed it closer to another, sitting down and gesturing her to do the same in the one beside him.

He let out a boyish laugh, throwing his head back as he did so. “You sure do have a mouth on you, Sweetheart.”

“I'm not going to have sex with you, Rio.” She said with a sigh, plopping down in the dark green canvas chair across from him instead of the one he'd moved.

He lifted up from his own seat ever so slightly to reach across the space and grab the bottom legs of her chair. “Come here, mami.” He whispered, yanking it forward until she was sitting right in front of him. A small squeal escaped her lips as she struggled to keep her balance while he moved her. He wrapped one strong, tattooed hand around her bare ankles and lifted them easily into his lap.

He reached into his pocket for a carefully rolled joint and lit it up, taking a long drag.

“I aint bring you here for that. At least not tonight.” He blew the smoke over his shoulder, making sure to keep it away from her before he holding the joint out to her. She took a drag, holding it in before blowing the smoke right in his face, causing him to wave it away with a laugh.

“Doesn't sound like you need me for that anyways, what with your harem of sluts that apparently follow you around.” She felt his free hand caressing her ankle absentmindedly, his calloused fingers running over her smooth skin.

“You really hung up on that, huh?” He commented, leaning back in his chair to stare up at the night sky, blowing a puff of smoke out as he did.

“You know I am. That's why you said it in the first place, isn't it? To hurt me?” She snatched the joint away from him before taking another hit and keeping it for herself. She stared up at the sky as well, enjoying the feeling of security that came with knowing her daughter was somewhere safe, and that her house was currently being set up with some kind of protection. It had been a long time since she was able to relax for even an hour and just enjoy herself.

“Aint no reason for you to be upset. Bunch of drunk hookups in bar bathrooms aint shit a girl like you should even be concernin herself with.” He said offhandedly, pulling her feet higher into his lap to run his hands up and down the entire length of her slim legs.

“Do I even wanna know what you mean when you say 'a girl like me'?” She shot him a slightly offended look.

When his hand got up to her thigh, he gave it a light squeeze before answering. “Look at you. You got your shit together. You're raising a kid all on your own, you're smart as hell. You aint the type to be slummin it with a gang leader. You'll marry some wallstreet type that can talk politics and shit with you at the dinner table, clippin coupons or some basic bullshit like that.”

She let out an howling laugh, high pitched and feminine, her white teeth contrasting beautifully with her dark olive skin. She covered her mouth, dramatically trying to calm herself down, the giggles only dying out after a full minute. He stared at her with mild amusement, enjoying the sound of her authentic happiness which was all too rare.

When she finally calmed down enough to speak, all she could do was smile at him. A genuine, beautiful smile. Her dark hair framed her face perfectly as she ran her fingers through it, taking another drag from the joint before passing it back over to him.

“You gonna tell me what was so damn funny?” He finally asked.

“All of it. You know so little about what I want, if you think that's the kind of life I'm after. Not lookin for some white picket fence bullshit. Just want somethin real. Someone who gives a damn.” She shrugged, smiling at him still in that easy way only she could pull off. He'd never met someone so level headed and calm when faced with danger and threats. She impressed him; something no one else had ever been able to do.

He huffed out half a laugh, taking the short joint from her hand. He let his fingers run along hers without thinking. “Maybe you should aim a little higher then just some dude who gives a damn, but what the fuck do I know.” He looked up again, taking a deep breath as the night air grew cooler and both their bodies relaxed even more. It was rare that he even had this much time to himself, let alone the luxury of being able to spend it with someone whose company he truly enjoyed.

“I find it amusing that instead of thinking about what you know about me, because you _do_ know me, Rio.” She vowed. “Instead, you're trying to push me towards some fictitious man who doesn't even exist.” She laughed lightly, reaching into her pocket as her phone vibrated. She smiled at the screen for a moment, the tough man in front of her watching as her eyes lit up at the message.

“That Mr. Fictitious?” He flicked the joint into fire pit, along with the dry logs and branches.

“If you want to ask me if I'm seeing anyone, you're just going to have to ask..” She said, tossing her phone at him. When he looked down at the screen ,it was a picture of Nikklaus’s sister, Briella and Violet, both smiling brightly at the camera. Underneath was a line of text telling Cassidy not to worry, and that her daughter was safe and sound and about to go to sleep next to her for the night.

He tossed the phone back at her, masking his expression as he always did. He regarded her again with feigned boredom. “Cute kid.” He dropped his hands from her legs and gently lifted them out of his lap to fall flat against the grass underneath her.

“Ah, there he is. Macho Cold Blooded Killer Rio who doesn't care about anyone. I can see it the second it happens. Isn't it tiresome having to masquerade yourself all the time? Give yourself a break, it's only me here.” She said, taking it upon herself to raise her legs and drop them heavily into his lap again.

“You're a brave little thing, I'll give ya that. No one else is stupid enough to talk that way to someone in my position.” His hands covered her laced up sneakers, squeezing them lightly.

“What position?” She rolled her eyes, bored at his attempted threat.

“Macho Cold Blooded Killer.” He tossed her words back, but instead of saying it as a joke, he looked almost sad to be repeating them.

She took his hands from her shoes and held them between her smaller ones. He looked down at what she was doing before moving his eyes back up to her face. She leaned over, her hair falling around her to brush against their joined hands.

“You can be more then just one thing.” Cassidy hoped he knew just how much she believed that. He wasn't fooling her, and it was about time he realized that she wouldn't scare so easily.

“You got any idea what happens to people who get close to a gang leader, Cassidy?” He warned, removing his hands from hers so he could grab her waist. He pulled her over, settling her in his lap with her feet hanging over the side of his chair. He wrapped one arm around her back, holding her protectively against his chest while his other hand dropped lazily to her feet again.

“They get hurt.” She answered sadly, leaning back against his hard, athletic body. She rested her head on his shoulder and the two of them looked up at the clear, pitch black sky.

“Yea, sweetheart, they do.” By the time he dropped her back off at home, she was more brokenhearted then she cared to admit.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone from Cassidy's past comes back for revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. Hope you're staying safe with everything going on in the world. Staying busy here in Chicago and writing as much as I can. Sending all of you love and to everyone who has posted a comment, thank you so much. It means the world to me xoxo
> 
> Also, I write everything in OpenOffice where I use italics that don't come over when copy and pasted to this platform. For that I apologize.

**Chapter Eight**

Fall seemed to creep up on her and before she knew it, Violet's first birthday was only a few hours away. She stood in her daughters room, leaning over the crib as the small girl slept soundly in the darkness. Cassidy brushed the back of her hand over Violet's dark hair and smiled, remembering all the wonderful ways her life had changed since the arrival of her tiny best friend.

“When you wake up, you'll be one years old. I'm so lucky to be your mommy.” She pressed a soft kiss to her daughters forehead before closing her bedroom door and making her way to the kitchen. She'd had a long day with work and her eyes were straining from the pain of prolonged exposure to her laptop. She poured herself a large glass of water from the pitcher in the fridge and pulled herself up on the counter to drink it down, along with two small tablets of pain reliever.

“Still aint figured out how to use a chair, I see.” Her screen door slid open on the other side of the room and she nearly dropped her glass.

“Still can't figure out how to knock?” She countered, rolling her eyes and downing the rest of her water. The intruder made himself at home, sitting on the bar stool right in front of her.

Rio reached his hands out and let them fall to either one of her knees, her legs crossed in front of him.

“This feels too familiar.” He muttered, letting his thumbs brush over her skin gently.

“No, this is much different then last time. I'm wearing pants and you didn't bring food.” She said, bringing her hands up to her face and pressing her palms firmly into her eyes.

“That boss of yours must be workin ya too hard if you're trying to gouge your own eyes out.” He commented, watching as she continued to apply pressure to them with her fingers.

“Yea, it was a long day. Got a couple hackers trying to get into your account. Had to deal with that for most of the day.” She explained casually. She slipped off the counter to refill her glass of water and grabbed him a beer from her fridge.

His eyes narrowed at her words. “That sounds like some shit I should know about. Why's this the first I'm hearing of it?”

“Because it's no big deal.” She drawled out, lifting herself onto the counter near the sink this time, a safe distance away from her boss. “You have a lot of money, Rio. My full time job is to protect it. If I told you every time some teenager tried to steal some, you'd never hear the end of me. And we both know how much you hate me causing problems for you. I keep Demon updated like I was told to do because he's my contact. Your money is safe, I promise. I'm very good at this stuff.” She drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, setting her chin on top and letting her eyes meet his from across the space.

“Aint seen you in a few weeks. You look different.” He said casually, taking a long pull of his beer.

“Charming as usual.” She said with her signature sass. He wasn't wrong though, she'd made a few changes since she'd seem him last month. Her dark hair still hung long and wavy down her back, but it was laced with subtle, dark red strips hidden underneath the first layer. Her bangs had been cut to sweep over the right side of her face, hanging over her eyes if she didn't push it behind her ear.

It only took two of his long strides to stand in front of her near the sink, his hands going to her waist and lifting her effortlessly down from the counter. “Just don't cut it.” He whispered with a smirk, keeping one arm around her back while the other pushed her thick bangs to the side, his hand cupping her cheek as he examined her face.

“I didn't plan on it, but now I just might shave it all off. Not a fan of being told what to do.” She joked, hooking her fingers through the belt loops of his jeans to keep her hands from falling limply to her sides.

“I got some nasty shit to take care of tonight, but I dropped somethin off on your porch.” He looked dejected before he masked it over with his usual boredom.

“You ok?” She asked as they shared a rare moment of compatible conversation.

“Got some people sniffin around my sister. Gotta handle it.” This was more information then he was use to sharing with anyone, but the way she looked at him with such genuine concern, he couldn't help the words from tumbling out of his mouth.

“The nurse who took a knife out of my arm? I'm sorry, she doesn't deserve that.”

“Wont be a problem in a few hours. Bring that package in from your porch and get some damn glasses.” He said, running his thumb underneath her eye. “Can't have you on my payroll if your eyes aint workin.” He pressed a firm kiss to her temple before he fully let her go, showing himself out the way he came in. He had half of his body outside before he turned back again.

  
“Demon isn't your contact any more. You call me if you got some shit that needs handlin.” She opened her mouth to say something but he had already closed the glass door, effectively separating them, and disappeared across her back lawn.

She took a deep breath in, forcing herself to ignore the implications of his words and move on. She pulled her dark hair back into a high ponytail as she crossed the living room and threw open the front door. Sitting on her autumn themed welcome mat was a large box wrapped neatly in pink paper with a plain white bow on top. She leaned down to pull the small name card from the top, flipping it open.

“ _Happy Birthday, Violet.”_

Cassidy's lips parted in shock, her eyes scanning her property for any sign that Rio was still there. When she didn't see him, she dragged the large package through the thresh hold and into her dimly lit living room. She made sure to lock the door behind her before sitting on the floor beside the gift and crossing her legs.

She found herself chewing on her bottom lip, nervous for a reason she couldn't place. When she finally found the courage to lift the perfectly wrapped lid, she knew she never would've guessed what had been inside in a million years.

Staring up at her from the center of the box were the bright blue eyes of a small Husky puppy.

“You've got to be fucking kidding me.” She muttered to herself, her lips parted once again in absolute bewilderment. She reached into the box cautiously, wrapping the gray and white puppy up in her arms gently while the small animal shook.

  
“It's okay, buddy.” She soothed, running her slender hand up and down the fur on his back. Her darkly painted purple nails scratched behind his ears for a few minutes, calming the animal down enough to look back at her with its icy blue eyes.

“What should we call you, huh?” She asked, scratching under his chin as she thought of possible names for the newest member of her family. He let out the smallest, least threatening bark, before wagging his tail and jumping out of her lap. She watched as the tiny creature sniffed the entire living room before crouching down to reach his tiny paws under the door of Violets room. Cassidy couldn't believe how much her heart swelled as he curled up in a tiny ball and fell asleep right outside her daughters bedroom.

Instead of getting into her own bed for the night, she pulled the blanket from the back of the chair and curled up on her plush, L shaped couch for the night. Her eyes were heavy from the day and her mind raced at the incredibly thoughtful gift that slept a few feet away from her and raised so many questions. When that same gift woke her up at 6am to be let outside, she couldn't even be upset. Because while she had only gotten 5 hours of sleep, it was already proving to be a very special birthday for her daughter. She let the small wolf outside to run around her backyard while she went into Violet's room to get her dressed for the day. When she reached her tiny arms out to her from over the crib, Cassidy smiled back at her with excitement. “It's your birthday today, honey. Someone left a surprise for you while you were dreaming.” She dressed her daughter in a dark green hoodie and a pair of black jeans.

Even though the fall air brought with it a chilling cold, Cassidy loved nothing more then having all the windows open to let the breeze flow through her cozy farmhouse.

“Let's get you some breakfast baby girl, and then we can spend the day together with our new little friend.” She grabbed a sippy cup filled with milk and a zip lock bag filled with cheerios before leading Violet out into the backyard, holding her little hand tightly to keep her steady.

“Ruff!” Violet babbled, running on unsteady legs at full speed towards the puppy that was still smaller then she was. “Ruff Ruff” She repeated, the dog jumping up on the toddler and knocking her to the ground in a fit of giggles.

“That's right, Vi. That's what sound dogs make.” She beamed proudly as the two chased each other around her large, fenced in backyard.

“Of course, your kid's already a genius.” Rio said as he opened the wooden gate that led to her. “No surprise there.” He laughed, his perfect white teeth making her heart race.

Violet was running towards her mom as the puppy chased her, reaching her arms up to be saved before the animal could get her. When Cassidy scooped her up, she snuggled into her neck with laughter.

“Shouldn't you be getting some rest? From what you told me last night, you had a lot of work to do.” She said sadly, walking towards him to meet halfway in the center of the grass. Violet struggled against her hold, doing her best to wiggle free as she reached both arms out towards Rio.

Before she could make up an excuse and set her down on the ground instead, the tattooed man reached out to take Violet into his arms. He tossed her high up into the air twice before holding her effortlessly on top of his right shoulder. She squealed with excitement as she looked around the yard from her new, high perch and made a raspberry sound at the dog who was now barking at Rio's feet trying to get to her.

“Hey, calm down mutt.” He said, kicking his foot out non threateningly at the dog. “You're meant to be protectin her, not chasin her.” He joked, crouching down to pet the creature behind the ears. Violet jumped down from his shoulder once her feet were close enough to the ground. She turned the tables on the dog and raced after him instead, her cheerios laying forgotten in the dirt.

Cassidy watched the interaction with a heart full of joy and a head full of questions, but her smile fell when she saw Rio's face. He had a large gash near his hairline that looked freshly patched and a large bruise forming on his temple. He laughed at the little girl running on wobbly legs before stepping up to the older woman and putting one of his strong hands against the side of her neck.

  
“Why you lookin so down, Darlin'?” He asked.

“Somethin happened to you. I can tell.” She answered sadly, staring up into his eyes from under her dark lashes.

“Nah, just takin care of business. Figured I'd stop over before I head home and make sure the dog aint turn out to be some vicious Kugo type.” He looked to the side to see Violet on the ground with the dog on top of her, licking her face. “Seems safe enough.” He smirked. She saw right through him, cupping his face in her smaller, gentler hands.

“You had to do somethin bad, didn't you?” She whispered, peering into his eyes as if she was looking straight into his soul. He took her hands from his face and held them between his own.

  
“Gotta protect my sister and her kid. I aint never let anyone hurt what's mine.” He pulled her forward just enough to kiss her forehead before stepping back and making his way back over to the gate.

“Rio.” She called out, picking up her daughter who was currently pulling on the bottom of her dark skinny jeans. He crossed through the gate and closed it behind him, turning to look back at her from over the barrier.

“Get some rest. For me.” She begged. “I worry about you. I know I don't say it, but it eats me up.” She admitted, hugging her daughter close to her chest as her dark eyes glazed over with tears.

“Never had no one in my life worry about me before other then my sister.” He finally said after a long bout of silence.

“You do now.” She said firmly. She pushed her hair behind her ear and pressed a kiss to Violets head. “You have us.”

“Told you I didn't want that. Too dangerous for both of ya.” He said, his eyes moving from Cassidy's over to her daughters.

She let out a dry, humorless laugh. “I don't care. You need me too much.” She said with a cocky smirk.

He smiled back at her. “Need ya like I need a hole in my head.” Anxiety flooded her body as she watched him walk away. She hoped he would get some well deserved rest.

On a more selfish note, she hoped it wouldn't be another month before she saw him again.

Violets birthday turned out to be one of the best days she'd had in a long time. Being able to escape work for a full 24 hours was a blessing of its own right, but being able to spend it all with her daughter was the real prize. The tiny toddler was walking like a pro and doing her best to talk; always babbling away while Cassidy nodded enthusiastically at her one sided conversations. They spent the afternoon at the park, running through the fallen leaves and going down the slide together, laughing the entire time. By the time they made it home, the weather had dropped and it turned into a chilly evening. The crisp autumn breeze blew through the open windows and filled her house with the beautiful scent of fall.

Cassidy made a very fancy birthday dinner consisting of unicorn shaped mac and cheese which Violet ate with gusto before they went into the living room to spend the rest of the evening reading all of the little girls favorite books. She blew kisses into her belly button until she collapsed onto the floor in a fit of giggles. When it was finally bedtime, she dressed the toddler in her fleece, zip up pajamas, yellow stars scattered over the light pink fabric.

“I had such a great day with you, baby girl.” She whispered, putting Violet down in her crib and covering her up with her cozy purple blanket. “I can't believe you're one years old already. I can't wait to spend all of your birthdays together.” She kissed her on the back of the head once she rolled over to her tummy and quietly left the room.

The older woman put her hair into two messy buns on either side of her head before cleaning up the living room and disinfecting the kitchen. By the time she was done, it was already close to midnight, so she put off her shower until the morning and got right into bed. Her cozy bed was pressed up against the dark green accent wall and she let herself relax underneath her heavy comforter. The window across the room was open just enough to let the cold breeze inside.

She didn't remember falling asleep, and she had no idea how long she had even been given to rest, before she felt an unmovable pressure on her throat. Her eyes shot open, her body immediately at full attention as her hands went to her neck, feeling a strong hand clamping down on it. She gasped for breath only to find that none could enter her lungs as the man above her continued to squash her windpipe with all of his might. The hand that was crushing her was attached to a heavy set man who was straddling her chest and barring down on her with all the strength her could muster. His hair was greasy and dark blonde, hanging over both of his eyes as he slammed her head back down onto the pillow when she tried to sit up.

“Jake told me you pack quite a punch for such a little thing, so I came prepared.” His breath was hot on her face as he leaned down closer to taunt her. The hand that wasn't crushing her trailed down to her side, the tip of a sharp blade cutting her skin as it went. She went to scream but no sound came out, her assailant laughing on top of her as she struggled. The knife at her side was pressed so roughly into her skin that she could feel blood soaking through her shirt, the man cutting her from the side of her breast all the way down to her hip. “I'm going to have my fun with you before the night is over. I'll make you scream for me.” He laughed, bringing his face down even closer to trail his tongue over her shoulder. “Don't worry, little dove. I was told to bring you back alive so everyone could have a taste of Rio's little firecracker.”

  
Her hands left her throat when she realized he couldn't be moved and tried a different tactic. She reached out frantically for her nightstand and let her fingers grip the first thing they came into contact with, which happened to be the tables drawer. She ripped it from the nightstand, swinging it towards her and knocking the man off of her chest in the process. The knife he was holding jabbed deeper into her side before he dropped it, the metal hitting the hardwood with a echoing clatter. His hand continued to grip her throat but once the weight had been lifted off of her, she was able to swing her legs out of bed and grab the lamp that sat a few feet away. Her vision started to darken, black spots littering her eyes, as she grasped the lamp tightly in her hand and bashed him over the head with it, ripping the cord from the wall and knocking the man to the ground. She gulped for air immediately, taking only a second to let the oxygen fill her lungs before she bolted out the door. Her attacker was quick to recover, getting to his feet almost immediately as blood gushed from the side of his head, staining her sheets and the floor surrounding her bed. Thankfully, Cassidy was faster and had already made it next door to her daughters room by the time he made another grab for her. She slammed the barrier shut between them before he could make contact, turning the lock. She then dragged the large dresser over to press against the door as an extra precaution. She didn't wake her daughter, instead watching the baby sleep soundly while terror reigned down on the young woman, grabbing her injured side in distress. She looked around the room for anything that could be used as a weapon when a sound outside the door made her stop dead in her tracks. Two muffled gun shots rang out followed by a loud thud hitting the door, making her jump back in surprise, her hand still clutching her side.

“Miss De Luca.” A familiar voice called out from behind the door. Her eyes closed in relief before she jumped back into action, pushing the dresser out of her way and throwing the bedroom door open. She wasn't the type for over the top displays of affection, but when she saw Demon standing a few feet away in the center of her living room, she ran right over to him and threw her arms around his waist as he holstered his weapon into the back of his pants.

“No one can say you don't have great timing.” She joked, pulling back from him and brushing the hair out of her face. The dark strands stuck to her neck due to the sweaty hands that had been wrapped around it only a few moments ago.

She looked past the man in front of her to see Rio stepping out of her bedroom.

“Cassidy.” He breathed, taking two long strides over to her and pushing her hair back through his fingers as his hands held her face, thumbs rubbing the apples of her cheeks. His eyes were fierce with anger as he looked her over for injuries. She closed her eyes at his intense examination and cringed when his hands brushed against her neck.

His jaw clenched as he ground his teeth together, looking over his shoulder to shoot a string of words at Demon in Spanish. His associate made quick work of dragging the dead body from in front of Violets door out into her backyard, doing his job to dispose of the evidence. A trail of blood was left through her living room and kitchen along with a large puddle directly in front of her daughters room. A messy splatter mark covered the front of the little girls door.

“Your neck, Jesus.” He muttered to himself, pulling her crew neck shirt down to examine her darkening skin.

“I'm fine.” She whispered, bringing her own hand up to touch her bruised windpipe, her face making a small strain when she did.

“He touch that kid?” He asked angrily, pointing his finger over her shoulder and into Violet's room through her open door.

  
She shook her head as relief filled her body at that one, small blessing. She took his face in her hands and pulled his head back to look at her, pulling his arm back down as well. “We are both fine. And it looks like the security system Demon set up works, so no harm done.” She said, trying to pacify him as his whole body shook with rage.

“No harm done.” He mirrored with a humorless laugh, pushing her hands off of him and pacing the length of her living room. She recoiled from his harshness while he continued. “You were almost strangled to death with your daughter in the next room and you tellin' me aint no harm done.” His fist collided with the wooden coffee table sharply.

“What do you want me to say?” She screamed, hoping they wouldn't wake the toddler in the next room. She walked over and gently shut the door before throwing herself onto the couch in front of the coffee table Rio was currently denting with his fists. His knuckles pressed into the wood angrily, leaning all of his weight forward as he starred her down.

“I want you to admit you was scared! At least then I'll know you're not a fuckin' moron.” He spat, pushing off the table and walking back over to her bedroom doorway. “Your room has that guys blood everywhere and you're sittin on the couch like this aint no big deal.” He threw his arm out, gesturing through her open door as his eyes burned into hers. She averted her gaze and looked with interest down at her bare feet, a red streak up the top and running over her ankle from when she shoved the man off and stepped in a splatter of his blood as she made her escape.

“You think I'm not scared?” She asked in disbelief, running her hands over her neck as the skin burned painfully. “I have no one, Rio!” She exclaimed, stalking over to him and shoving him out of the way so she could get into her bedroom. She stripped the sheets off her bed as she continued to verbally berate him. His eyes followed her every movement while hers focused solely on what she was doing. She tried her best to ignore the pain radiating up her side.

“That man was on top of my chest with his hands around my neck. I couldn't move, I couldn't scream; All I could do was think about how I was going to die and absolutely no one would be there to take care of Violet! I don't have parents or sisters or _any_ family to take care of her if something happened to me. I'm sorry I don't show my emotions the way you do, but yes, I am very afraid. And no, I am _not_ a fucking moron.” She spat, throwing her sheets out through the doorway in a pile right at the older mans feet.

“Stop worryin about your room right now, girl.” He snapped, grabbing her wrist as she tried to storm passed him. He swung her back into the room with too much force, causing her to stumble gracelessly onto her bare mattress when he released her harshly. “Gonna have the clean up crew runnin through this whole place in a few hours to get rid of anything incriminating.”

She hadn't cried much in her life, but sitting there on the edge of her bed, rubbing her wrist from Rio's painful grip, the tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She knew her shirt was stained with fresh blood, the fabric sticking to her skin while the anemia made her a painfully dizzy.

Demon came into the room, his hands a deep crimson. “Cleanups on their way over. Body's taken care of.” He said, his attention shifting from his boss to the broken girl on the bed.

“You ok, Miss De Luca?” Demon asked, Rio making himself busy on his phone against the wall near the doorway.

She shot him an unconvincing smile and nodded, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand. He smiled back at her sadly, patting her hand that sat against the mattress. “You remind me too of my little sister. Always runnin around actin like nothing hurts her until it all gets to be too much. Then, I'm walkin into her kitchen with her sobbing on the floor all alone.”

Rio spared them a glance at this, pocketing his phone and going over to her white dresser that sat on the opposite side of the room. He fished around for a change of clothes before tossing them into her lap. She fingered the light fabric before looking up at him with shining, dark brown eyes.

“Get changed. We gotta clear out when the boys get here and ya can't walk around town lookin like that.” Rio said, without a hint of compassion. Demon exited the room without another word, the sound of the front door opening and closing registered faintly in her mind.

“You want a show or somethin?” She narrowed her eyes at him, standing up from the bed slowly. Her hand flew to her side, a hiss escaping her lips as the pain suddenly flooded her body. The adrenaline must have worn off completely, because the agony she felt was more powerful then it had been when it first happened.

Rio rushed to her in a single pace, catching her under the arm before she could collapse to the floor. He moved her hand gently so he could push up her shirt, a cry escaping her throat as the fabric stuck to the cut, making it that much more painful to move.

“You aint say nothin about gettin knifed.” He snapped with annoyance, setting her carefully on the ground near the foot of her bed and going to get the medical kit they both knew too well. Cassidy leaned her back against her bed, wincing in pain as she tried to move as little as possible. She tore the shirt carefully from her body, tossing it through the door with her sheets, barely missing Rio as he walked back into the room. She crossed on arm over her bare chest while the other pulled the skin back at her side, examining just how worried she needed to be. Rio crouched down across from her, somehow still stern and all business. The cut was angry looking, but the blood had slowed to a trickle, still oozing from the wound and staining the top of her sleep shorts.

“Sorry for hollerin at ya before.” He said with a defeated sigh, taking her hand away from prodding her injury and holding it between both of his hands. Her wrist was dry and red from his earlier roughness and the site of it caused his stomach to drop. She looked up at him with tear filled eyes and nodded her in understanding. He pulled her hand up and pressed his lips against her injured wrist. “Shouldn't have grabbed you like that neither.” He bit his lip and looked down at the med kit to distract himself from her sad gaze. “Don't ever wanna be the one that hurts you.” He added, pouring alcohol over a stack of gauze and positioning it near her side.

“Then stop.” She said with a shrug, more tears staining her tan cheeks as they fell. She shook her head as a dry laugh escaped her throat. “That asshole said he was told to bring me back _alive_. Said everyone wanted a taste of Rio's new firecracker.” She reiterated, the words leaving a disgusting taste on her tongue. His hands instantly turned to fists, his eyes staring deeply into hers with rage erupting behind them.

“Is that fuckin right? That what he said?” He growled, needing confirmation before he left right now and killed every last one of them.

She nodded, shrugging to wipe her cheek against her bare shoulder as the tears dried on her skin. “Jokes on them. I'm not even yours, am I?” She asked with a sad smile, taking the gauze from his stilled hands and wiping it down her side, wincing in pain as she did. She grabbed the alcohol from him and poured more over the gauze, making sure to keep her other arm firmly over her breasts.

Rio watched her quietly, her skin forever scarred because of him. She had on a tiny pair of orange shorts that were crusted with red blood over the waist, his heart tugging in pain at the site of her saddened expression. He covered her hand with his own, taking the gauze from her slowly and setting it down beside the first aid kit.

  
“Look at me.” He ordered, venom in his voice. He grabbed her chin and tilted it up gently so she was forced to meet his eyes. “You bet that sweet, bony ass your mine.” He vowed, pressing his lips to hers firmly for no more then a moment. “Jake is a dead man, and so is his entire crew. They were the ones fuckin with my sister too, and tomorrow we will be handlin that problem permanently. Aint gotta worry about them touchin you or that little girl. I'll kill anyone who fuckin tries.” She believed every word he said just by the look in his eyes, the anger radiating off of his body in waves at the events of the last hour.

"Who says I want to be yours?" She asked softly, gracing him with a small smile.

He laughed softly, reaching over her and grabbing the clean shirt he had tossed at her earlier from the bed. “It don't need stitches. Just gotta tape it up.” He ripped a long strip of medical tape from the dispenser and attached multiple stacks of gauze to her wound to help soak up any more blood that might still be trickling out. He pushed the clean shirt into her lap and started cleaning up the dirty rags and bandages.

“Get dressed, Sweetheart. You and Violeta are staying at my house while we handle this little problem.”

There was a tiny whimpering coming from under Cassidy's king sized bed, surprising them both.

“You useless fuckin mutt.” Rio said with a laugh, reaching into the shadows and pulling the small husky into his arms. “I got you so you could keep em safe, not hide under the bed.” He said with a scowl.

“That might not be his fault.” Cassidy laughed, now fully clothed after pulling on her shirt while he was momentarily distracted. She got down on all fours and reached under her bed, pulling out a small canvas tote that was now empty. “Looks like he got into my stash. I was wondering where he was, but I figured he escaped when the man came into the house.” She was slightly worried as she looked up at the puppy in the gang leaders arms

“Dog's high as fuck.” His voice full of laughter as the tiny creature rolled over onto his back in his arms with a dazed expression on his face. “Hurry up and get big, perro. Got two girls that need you to guard the door.”

“Why did you get him for Violet?” She said, finally asking the question she'd been aching to since she opened the package.

“He got a name yet?” He set the dog down on her bed before walking out into the living room.

"Enzo. Are you going to answer my question?” She grabbed his hand and turned him around to face her before he could reach the front door.

“I wanted a man in the house to protect my girls.” He said, as if it was the most casual thing in the world. He pulled his hoodie up over his head and stepped out onto the front porch, shooting a few words at Demon who waved goodbye to her before driving off.

“When did we become your girls? You act like you hate us half the time.” Se asked with narrowed eyes, pulling him back inside and slamming the door behind him even as a white van pulled up the path to her garage.

“Didn't want to get too close. Bein with a gang leader gets dangerous.” He answered, brushing her bruised neck with the back of his hand before doing his signature move of tugging on a thick curl that hung over her shoulder. “Think that's becoming clearer every fuckin day. But I can treat you right.” He vowed, moving his fingers through the hair at the nape of her neck and pulling her towards him, covering her mouth with his tenderly.

She kissed him back for just a moment before pulling away, leaning her forehead against his chest while she spoke. “Prove it to me.” She pushed him away gently as darkness filled the space around them, morning still 2 hours away. “I've never let a man into my life before and now that I have a daughter to set an example for, I have to be even more careful.”

Rio's perfect, white teeth shined back at her as he smiled genuinely in response. “I aint afraid to put in the work for someone like you. I'm gonna lose my shit sometimes; comes with the job. But I wont ever put my hands on you or that kid. I protect my own.” He repeated the same words he had told her earlier in the backyard.

“No more screamin at me just because you're too chicken shit to tell me how you feel. Makes me want to punch you in the throat.” She said sternly, pulling her hair into a high ponytail and heading to the kitchen to grab a frozen bag of veggies from the freezer. She pulled herself up on the counter, crossing her bare legs underneath her, and pressed the bag to her neck.

“I aint chicken shit.” He said, crossing over to the kitchen to stand in front of her. He took the frozen vegetables and held them against her neck.

“Sometimes you are.” She poked him in the chest with a smirk.

He hummed in response, using his other hand to rub the not cold side of her neck. “I aint never seen someones neck look like this. Lookin forward to shootin Jake right between the eyes.”

“Why does he have such an interest in me? It doesn't sound like anyone else is getting threatened.” Her hand covered his on her neck, wincing slightly when he pressed too hard. He mumbled an apology and let her take over. He put his hands on the counter around her and let out a sigh of annoyance.

“Jake's been fuckin with me for years now. Came to me a while back wantin to join. Probably would've let him too, if he didn't bring his girlfriend with him. She was this little blonde thing, no more then 16 fuckin years old. Poor baby had bruises all over her face; flinchin every time he moved. My guys aint like that, and we don't want no one on our crew that beats on little girls neither. He offered me connections to some pill runners but I told him to get out. Said I didn't want a boy who didn't know a damn thing about respect on my team. Been out for blood ever since. My sister called me a few days ago, tellin me Jake was watching her walk to her car every night from the hospital parking lot. It's been a long time comin.” He explained.

Rio took it upon himself to go into Violets room and get her up when the front door opened and the cleaning crew walked inside.

“We'll be outta here in a minute. You can get started in there.” He directed, pointing to Cassidy's room while he grabbed her daughter from the crib.

The young woman leaned in the doorway, watching the pair silently.

“I know it's early, but your mama's causin trouble as usual so you're gonna go stay at my place while I clean up her mess.” He joked, shooting Cassidy his usual smirk.

“Not even close to the truth.” She muttered, taking the little girl from his arms and getting her changed into warm clothes for the day while Rio went next door to see how the cleaning was going.

“I'll do anything to keep you safe, baby girl.” She whispered, snuggling her face into her daughters hair and packing her black backpack with diapers and extra sets of clothes for them.

“Let's get outta here so the boys can work.” He said, waiting at the front door and holding it open for them to walk through. She helped her daughter down the porch steps, Rio taking her backpack and tossing it into his trunk.

“You don't have a car seat, I'll have to take my car.” She said, her daughter running straight for Rio who scooped her up without missing a beat. “Traitor” Cassidy mumbled.

“You don't know what's in my car. Now get in, I don't have all day.” He said, opening the back door where a plain, black car seat was installed.

  
Her eyes darted from the car seat to him all of three times, her lips parted in speechlessness. “Why do you have a car seat?” She asked, watching as he buckled Violet in as if he'd done it a million times before.

“Get in the car, mami.” He repeated, pushing her playfully into the passenger seat before joining her.

“Do you have a kid?” She finally asked as they got closer to his house, Violet blowing raspberries in the backseat happily.

“Naw, no kids. Got this girl tho that's got a kid. Figured I'd get the car seat just in case she decides to keep me around.”

“Is this one of the girls you were fuckin left and right while keeping away from me?” She asked, throwing his taunt back at him while she gazed out the window.

“Aint never gonna let me forget that. You could be fuckin other guys, don't hear me pesterin ya about it.” He mumbled.

“Yup, you know me. Fucked two just last week” She said casually, rolling her eyes as they pulled into his driveway behind a black Ford Escape. She went to get Violet before Rio put him hand on the door to keep her from opening it.

“Move.” She narrowed her eyes. “Let me get my daughter.”

“That true? You been sleepin with someone?” He asked, his jaw clenched as he ground his teeth together.

“It's not so nice to hear, is it?” She said, clearly making her point. She shoved him out of the way, removing her daughter from her car seat and followed Rio into his home through the back door.

“You're back.” The familiar, older woman came in from the living room to greet them as Rio tossed the black backpack onto the kitchen counter and wrapped his little sister up in a hug. He pressed a quick kiss to her hair before pulling away.

“Heather, right?” Maya asked, standing up straight and extending her hand to the younger woman.

“You used a fake name at the hospital? How'd you pull that off?” Rio questioned, genuinely impressed.

  
“It's not a fake name, it's just not mine. And she's not alive anymore, so I kept it for legal reasons like hospital visits, or when I needed to buy a house.” She explained, shooting him a look that conveyed she wanted to drop the subject.

“We're coming back to that.” He grumbled, the two girls shaking hands.

“My name's actually Cassidy. It's nice to see you again.” She smiled, setting Violet down near the kitchen table.

“She's gotten so big! How old is she now?” Maya asked, getting down on her knees to see the little girl.

“Just turned one.” She beamed with pride.

“Well, my son is in the other room so we can all keep each other company while my big brother does whatever it is he does.” She said politely, leading Cassidy into the living room where a little boy was sitting, eating a bowl of grapes on the couch.

“Levi,” She addressed her son sweetly. “This is Cassidy and her daughter Violet.”

“Hello.” The little boy smiled, hopping off the couch with excitement to see the toddler.

“He loves babies.” Maya whispered to her with a grin.

“I'll leave y'all to it. With any luck I'll be back tonight.” Rio said, pulling Cassidy discreetly into the hallway near the front door.

“You gonna be good here with my sister?” He asked, grabbing his gun from the back of his jeans and checking the chamber casually.

“I think you mean will I be asking her embarrassing questions about your childhood. The answer is yes.” She poked his hard stomach teasingly.

“Come here.” He muttered, putting a single finger under her chin. She moved to meet him, pushing up on her toes to press her lips against his tenderly.

“I know you act like your regular badass gang leader self but can you please be extra careful this time around?” She requested, holding his face in her soft hands.

“I'll give it a shot.” He said, appeasing her. He leaned down to kiss her one last time before heading out the door.

The night turned out to be one that Cassidy would remember for the rest of her life. She almost understood what it might be like to have a family. Maya and her got along right from the start as they sat on the ground playing with Violet together while Levi watched Toy Story. They spent the night laughing together and talking about their lives.

“Our parents weren't the best. I worked as soon as I could to help support our family while our dad trained Rio to take over his business.” She explained sadly. “He's always been the absolute smartest man in any room. He knows so much about every subject; I think it's what makes him so good at what he does.” Her voice was full of fondness for her older brother.

“People don't always appreciate just how much intellect and hard work goes into what he does. I respect the hell out of him. I could never do his job.” Cassidy agreed, taking the TV remote that Violet had grabbed and was now handing to her like a very special gift. “Thank you, baby girl.” She beamed at her daughter before setting the remote back next to Levi.

“How's your movie going, buddy?” The younger woman asked, leaving Violet with Maya and joining the older boy on the couch.

“It's the best! Buzz is my favorite!” He exclaimed, the five year old filled with excitement at the opportunity to share his passion with someone new.

“I always liked Buzz the best too. He had a tough life but he found a great home with all his new friends.” She concurred.

The rest of the evening flew by and once they got both of the kids to bed in the spare room, it was 11 o'clock. The girls finally settled in for the night with a bottle of wine and a frozen pizza.

“You must be worried about him, huh?” Cassidy asked sadly, patting Mayas hand as they sat on opposite sides of the leather love seat in the living room.

She nodded sadly, moving her finger around the rim of her empty wine glass as a distraction. “I worry about him every day. I'm the only family he has. If something happened to him, there wouldn't be an investigation or anything. It would be considered a win to have one less gang banger on the streets.” She admitted, looking down at her bare feet.

“He's lucky to have a sister who loves him so much.” She acknowledged, setting her own glass down on the coffee table and curling her legs up underneath her.

“I'm lucky to have him too. He's always taken care of me and Levi. I got pregnant and Rio refused to let that be a reason I didn't to school. I've wanted to be a nurse ever since I was a little girl. So, when I found out I was pregnant halfway through college, Rio didn't miss a beat. Took Levi on the nights I had class and moved me in here until I graduated and got a job of my own.”

“Well, you're a kickass nurse. Wouldn't have wanted anyone else to pull a knife from my arm.” She joked, earning a laugh from the Hispanic girl beside her.

“Rio speaks pretty fondly of you too.” Maya said with a raised brow and the same smirk her brother often wore.

“Oh, I'm sure he _loves_ to talk about that new girl causing problems for his business.”

The older woman laughed loudly at this. “Never heard anything about that. Although, the computer nerd he complains about a lot is apparently a very resilient, hard working woman. With an attitude that makes him want to punch a brink wall.” She added with another laugh.

Cassidy nodded, hiding a smile. “Yea, that tracks. I like him a lot.”

Before Maya could add her two cents, the back door slammed open, two large bodies stumbling through haphazardly.

Demon was supporting Rio who had blood running down his entire right side. Maya wasted no time rushing to her bedroom and grabbing her full nurses kit which was an entire red duffle bag full of supplies.

“Put him on the floor.” She instructed. “Cassidy, get all the towels you can find.”

“Maya.” Rio coughed, unable to say another word.

She shushed him immediately, cutting his shirt off and finding the source of the wound. When Cassidy slid back on her knees near his head with a handful of towels, her hands were steady and her brain focused. “Tell me what you need me to do.” She told Maya confidently, squashing down her panic and concern and channeling it into being as helpful as possible.

“You wont faint, right?” She asked, shooting the younger woman a quick glance to judge her demeanor.

She shook her head in response.

“Ok. Go behind his head and hold it down. It's gonna hurt real bad and I need him to be as still as possible.” She directed, forceps already in her hand. From what she could see, he had been shot right through the side, blood pouring heavily from the wound. “It went through clean thank god, but its bleeding heavily. I have to press on it to get it to stop.” She explained, grabbing a stack of towels and shoving it roughly on the wound, earning a muffled groan from Rio.

“Shh.” Cassidy soothed, putting his head in her lap and running her hands over his cheeks and hairline. “It's ok. Your sister is going to take care of you and I'm right here.” She whispered, her hands stroking his skin with so much love he could almost feel it. His arm shot out and grabbed on of her hands near his ear, bringing it to his lips as his body shook involuntarily from the pain.

“Jake's dead and we took out the entire crew.” He said, bringing her knuckles to his lips as Maya put all of her weight on his abdomen. He squeezed her hand as a reflex as he bit his tongue from the agony.

“I really don't care about that right now.” Cassidy replied, a rogue tear falling down her cheek before she had a chance to stop it.  
  
“He's gonna be fine, honey. The bleeding is already slowing down. I'll just have to stitch him up once it stops.” She said, giving her brother a stern look.

“What did I tell you about getting shot?” She asked with an angry look on her face.

“To knock it off.” He said, rolling his eyes as the pain made black spots dance across his vision.

“And what did you do?” She asked again, tossing the two soaked towels across the room and replacing them with two more, pressing her weight down on top of them again.

“Got shot.” He admitted, letting his hands fall to his side while Cassidy held his head in her lap gently.

“This is the third time. Next one, I'm going to have to run your insurance.” Her inflection was playful but she was crying silently as she worked, the towels soaking through again before she replaced them with fresh ones. “Almost done.”

Demon was pacing in the kitchen, looking in on them periodically.

“Oh, get in here Big Guy. Come see your friend.” Maya urged. “Cassidy, can you thread the needle?” She asked, using one hand to get the supplies from her bag while the other pressed down on the wound.

“Of course.” She said, leaning down to kiss Rio's forehead before setting his head gently on the floor and doing what she was asked.

“Let her sew it up.” Rio coughed again, wincing at the pain it caused him to do so.

“What? No, your sister is a professional.” Cassidy said.

“You sure?” Maya asked, knowing the deeper meaning behind his request.

  
“Go take care of Demon. His arm got grazed.” He said casually.

  
“I'm not trained to do this, Rio. You have an actual nurse at your disposal here.” She said, the needle threaded and ready in her hand.

“You did good enough on my hand. Best kind of practice is in the field, right?” He countered.

“He wants you to fix him up. It's a compliment.” She explained, smacking her brothers sneaker clad foot before heading into the kitchen to patch up his friend.

She made quick work of suturing up his side, covering it with a thick layer of bandages when she was finished. “Violet and I will get out of here first thing in the morning so you can get some rest.” Rio changed into a clean set of clothes consisting of a plain white t shirt and a pair of red athletic shorts. He took the glass of whiskey his sister handed him before she lifted his shirt to check the stitches.

“Impressive.” Maya looked at Cassidy with a raised brow, a dozen questions behind her eyes. “How did you learn to do these so clean and straight?”

“Had a lot of practice.” She answered vaguely, still on her knees in the center of the floor while the two siblings sat on the couch.

“You really been sleepin around?” His question came so suddenly, she couldn't mask the shock on her face.

“Christopher!” Maya said, shoving her brothers shoulder roughly as she laughed.

“Demon's smokin a blunt outside. Go join him.” He suggested.

“Never needed one more.” She mumbled, excusing herself. The sound of the screen door shutting was just loud enough to reach their ears before he spoke to Cassidy again.

“You gonna answer me, Darlin?” That smirk was enough to send heat flooding through her veins.

“I haven't been sleeping with anyone.” She snapped, pushing up from the floor and sitting on the arm of the couch, as far away from him as possible. “I was being sarcastic. Unlike you, bar bathrooms aren't really my scene.” Her eyes narrowed in his direction.

“Don't be like that.” He smiled, patting the spot beside him innocently.

She huffed, turning her head away from him in response. “Not a chance.”

“You mad at me for sleepin around, or you mad at me for asking about your sex life?” Even with an injured side, he still managed to reach across the space and snatch her off the arm, pulling her into his lap carefully.

She sighed before leaning into him fully, letting her arms circle around his neck. “The thought of you fucking other woman enrages me.” She answered truthfully.

“Got the only girl who matters right here with me.” He said, squeezing her hipbone as he held her close to his chest.

“I told you I'm not sleeping with you, Rio. Not until you can go more then one day without pushing me away.” She leaned into the crook of his neck as he stroked her back, running his short nails up and down her skin beneath her shirt.

“How many men you been with?” He asked, his voice uncharacteristically soft and patient.

“I don't-” He cut her off before she could deny his question.

“I'm no saint. I aint gonna judge you no matter how high the number is.” He promised, Cassidy pulling away from him so she could look him in the eye. He moved his hand from her back and used it to brush the hair away from her dark brown eyes. She let out a small, feminine laugh.

“I'll answer. But first, tell me how many men you _think_ I've slept with.”

He shrugged, looking away for a minute to think of his guess. “20.”

She bit the inside of her cheek before correcting him. “Zero.”

It was Rio's turn to laugh.

“Thought you said you was gonna tell me the truth.” He leaned down to kiss her, his mouth still turned up at the corners. “Don't be shy.”

The serious look on her face instantly disarmed him. “50?” He guessed, his voice less playful and more cautious.

“Zero.” She repeated, her voice laced with a hidden embarrassment she knew she shouldn't be feeling. After all, there was nothing wrong with her answer.

Rio reeled back in surprise, removing her from his lap gently. He set her down beside him on the couch, giving her his full attention.

“You're fuckin with me.” His eyes were searching hers as she looked away, focusing her attention on the photos that hung on the wall leading into the kitchen. It was a simple frame, a photo of Maya in her graduation gown with Levi by her side. Rio was standing behind them, his eyes full of pride.

“Why would I lie?” She whispered, looking over at him again when she found the courage.

“Look at you.” He spoke as if those words explained everything.

“I don't know what that's suppose to mean, Rio.” She said honestly, her dark hair falling around her face as she wrung her hands in her lap.

“That body, that hair, those beautiful fucking eyes.” He rattled off, looking her over from top to bottom in a way that was deeply unsettling.

“You asked me a question. I answered.”

“You're for real.” His voice barely above a whisper.

“I have had sex, willingly, with zero men.” She crossed her arms over her chest before she let herself look into his eyes again. “Now can we please drop it.” She begged.

“I feel like a slut.” He said, trying to lighten the mood. It seemed to work because she finally cracked a smile, letting him pull her into his lap again. Her legs straddled either side of his hips as she arched her back under his hands.

“You probably are.” She shot back, moving her hair to one side before leaning down to press her lips against his. He kissed her back passionately, his strong hands pressing into her back.

“Come on.” His words getting lost in her mouth. He put both hands on her ass, lifting her up as he stood. Her arms held on tight around his neck as she laughed into his shoulder. “You were just shot. Put me down before you rip your stitches.”

“Stitch up one dude, now you think you're some kinda doctor.” He chuckled, kicking his front door open while his hands stayed firmly on her ass, her ankles locked together behind his back.

Demon and Maya were seated around the raging fire pit, a blunt passing between them. They both looked over, a knowing smirk on their faces, as Rio tossed the younger woman down in the canvas chair beside his sister.  
  


“Rio, your stitches.” Maya chided, passing the blunt to Cassidy with a shake of her head. She brought it up to her lips, taking a long drag and watching Rio take a seat next to Demon, poking the burning logs with a nearby stick.

“Listen to your sister.” A new voice rang out, stepping out of the shadows from the driveway and walking closer to the secluded backyard where they all sat. “From what I hear, you got shot not too long ago.”

Maya's hand flew to Cassidy's knee, telling her silently to stay put while Demon and Rio both stood, guns already in hand.

“No need for that.” The newcomer said. She was a tall, dark skinned woman with braids down her back, pulled into a low ponytail. “Just came to bring you this.” She tossed a dark yellow tote bag across the space, landing at the gang leaders feet.

“You shouldn't be here, Jasmine.” He spat, staring at her with fire in his eyes while Demon unzipped the bag.

“With Jake out of the picture, we're looking to do business with someone a bit more reliable. Who better then the king of the South Side.” She said with a seductive smile, perfect white teeth lining her mouth.

“Pills.” Demon said gruffly, standing back up at his bosses side.

“Go inside, ladies.” Rio said, glancing inside the bag for a moment before gluing his eyes back to the familiar woman who was still standing a safe distance away.

Maya pulled her new friend by the arm into the house, Jasmine speaking once more before they disappeared inside.  
  
“That's right, Sweetheart. Rio and I need some time alone.” She winked at Cassidy, licking her lips suggestively as she walked over to Rio, draping her arm over his shoulders.

“Come on.” Maya urged, pulling her inside before she had a chance to start a fight.

And boy was she ready to.

The girls were sitting together at the small kitchen table, whiskey in each of their hands, when Rio burst through the front door with his usual authority. Demon was at his heels, closing the door quietly behind them.

“Where's your friend?” Maya asked, her eyes narrowed in a way only a little sister could pull off.

“On her way back to her boss with her tail between her legs, I'm guessin'” He said, pouring himself a generous glass before sitting between the two woman. Demon hovered in the doorway protectively.

“She did, however, have quiet a bit of interesting information about you.” His eyes shot over to Cassidy, never moving even when he threw his glass back and slammed it angrily back on the table.

“I don't even know her.” She replied with a healthy dose of sass, daring him to argue.

“She knows you. Her boss seems quite interested in you.” He glared at his sister, words unnecessary to convey what he needed. She smacked her tongue against the roof of her mouth loudly, pushing herself out of her chair.

“I can take a hint.” Maya said, pulling Demon's large arm with her as she left the room.

“This the part where you yell at me about something that's not my fault? You're getting a little predictable.” Cassidy rolled her eyes and stood from the table as well.

“One day I'm gonna teach that mouth of yours a lesson.” He muttered to himself, taking her by the elbow and leading her outside where the fire was slowly burning out.

“Can you at least _pretend_ to take it easy. You were just shot, for fucks sake.” She berated him, pulling herself up to sit on the wooden railing that lined his small back porch.

“Stop being sweet for two fuckin seconds so I can yell at you.” His voice was angry, but his words were warm.

“Yes sir.” She whispered, allowing him closer to her.

“You shouldn't be sittin up there.” He whispered, wrapping his strong arms around her waist and standing between her legs so she was looking down at him.

Her hair fell in her face, arms circling his neck, as she leaned down to kiss him. “You wouldn't let me fall.” She said with a sigh, shoulders relaxing as her head rolled to the side to watch him.

“Jazzy works for a pretty powerful crime boss.” He explained, already earning himself an agitated look.

“How cute, you guys have nicknames for each other.” He ignored her, putting his finger to her lips.

“Hush. You'll wanna know who that crime boss is, Darlin.”

“I'm some small time computer hacker. Why would I care about some big, bad, crime lord?”

“He's your daddy, that's why.”

Rio had seen a lot of things in his life, especially considering his career path. Never in his life had he seen the pure, unadulterated fear that clouded the dark brown eyes staring back at him.

“That's impossible.” She managed to stammer out, her body shaking. She slipped from the banister and into his strong arms. He'd anticipated the shock; he was prepared for it. What he wasn't prepared for was her complete unraveling, panic etched across her beautiful face.

“He use to do business with Jake's crew. Lookin for a new partnership now that he's been wiped out.” He said, hoping an explanation might calm her just a little.

“I have to go.” No sooner did the words leave her mouth was she out of his arms and back in the house. She grabbed her backpack and jogged towards the spare room Violet was asleep in.

“Everything ok?” Maya asked her as she rushed by.

“Get all the information you can find on Marco Moretti. I wanna know who this guy is before I get into business with him.” Rio was barking orders at Demon, but it was Cassidy who had his full attention. When her hand fell from the doorknob leading into the spare room, he readied himself for an outburst. He didn't know anything about her parents, safely assuming they weren't the best of people. When she turned around, tears streaming down her face, he knew there was a deeper pain there. Maya rushed to the younger woman's side, trying to lead her over to sit on the couch.

“You're gonna work with him?” Her whispered voice was so unsteady.

  
“I'm in the business of makin money. If he's offerin enough, I can't exactly say no.” He tried to reason with her. “Lot of people got shitty relationships with their parents; don't mean I'm gonna walk away from a big pay day.”

“Rio, maybe you shouldn't...” Maya started, but Cassidy stopped her with a gentle hand, patting her on the shoulder with an unspoken thanks.

“It's okay, Maya. I get what he's saying. There's no reason for him not to take Marco on as a partner. If daddy dearest has shown me anything, it's that he knows how to run a lucrative business.” She swiped her hand over her cheek quickly, ridding herself of her tears.

“All we'd be doin is runnin his pills across the border. It's an easy job with a large payout.”

She nodded, her face back to it's unaffected, stony expression. “Right.” She whispered, her eyes locking on his while Maya looked between the two of them.  
  
“Maybe you should ask her about her dad instead of Demon lookin shit up on the internet.” Maya suggested gently, grabbing Rio's wrist to get him to focus.

“I'm sorry, Darlin, but as long as your daddy aint some sleazy con artist, you better get use to the idea of us runnin his drugs.” He tried to reach her but she held her hands out with so much fear, he couldn't take one more step.

“I'm just going to get Violet and go home. You do what you think is best. You're a smart man, Rio.” She whispered, tears streaming even more heavily down her olive cheeks. She went into the room while Maya spoke in harsh murmurs to her brother.

“She's clearly upset!” She hissed, shoving her brother in the shoulder.

“She's just got daddy issues. Let her leave. She'll come back when she's calmed down.” He whispered back. When he was finished speaking, however, the look on Cassidy's face was all the proof he needed to know they had been overheard.

She cradled the toddler to her chest as she rubbed her eyes with tiny fists. “Daddy issues, huh?” She repeated, unable to do anything but stand across the room and stare at him with heartbreak and betrayal.

“I aint mean it like that.” He said, following her outside as she started walking down the street. Violet was fast asleep in her arms while she ordered an Uber on her phone.

“Consider this my two week notice.” She breathed, turning back to him and placing a firm kiss on his cheek, shooting him a small smile before continuing down the street. He stared after her, mouth open, before coming to his senses and jogging down the sidewalk to catch up with her.

“Let's just talk about this.” He reasoned, walking beside her on the dark street.

“There's nothing to talk about. You've already decided what you're going to do.” Violet was struggling in her arms now, being woken up in the middle of the night doing nothing for her mood.

“You don't even have to see the guy.” He was growing more frustrated by the second, reaching for her wrist to get her to stop walking. When she did, they stood staring at one another beneath a flickering street lamp.

“You have a business to run. This is a lucrative deal. You don't owe me an explanation. I just really want to go home, Rio.” She begged, tears making her dark eyes glassy as she hugged her daughter tightly.

“Then this shouldn't change anything. You keep cleanin the money, I'll handle any jobs from your father.”

“Ok.” She conceded, doing whatever she could to get this conversation over with so she could sink into her bed and process this new information.

“We good?” He asked, reaching out to touch her face, his eyes softer then was normal for him.

“We're good.” She smiled sadly. She leaned away so his hand fell through the air instead of coming in contact with her skin. A silver Prius pulled up beside her at the curb, the window rolling down so the driver could talk. It was a young boy, probably 19, with a backwards baseball cap on over his unruley black hair.

“Alicia?” He directed his question to Cassidy.

“That's me, thanks.” She slid into the car, holding Violet on her lap protectively. Her Uber driver, whose name was Ethan according to her app, was punching her address into his GPS while Rio leaned in through the window on his forearms, reaching towards Violet to brush a finger over her cheek. She rewarded him with a bubbly giggle, reaching her arms out for him. “We'll be home soon, baby girl. It's ok.” She shushed her daughter, rubbing her back soothingly.

“Get home safe.” He said, stepping back from the car.

“Do you not care what he did to me?” She sniffed discreetly, hiding her face behind her shoulder as best she could.

“From how you reacted, I'm bettin he's a mean son of a bitch who hurt ya bad. That's a damn shame, aint no kid deserve that. This is business, Darlin, it's not personal. Can't turn my back on a mill 'cause the guy use to beat on his daughter.” He knew his words were harsh, but money was what made his whole operation run. From what Jasmine said, he was offering a whole lot of it for pushing his product.

She nodded, forcing a smile on her face while she bounced the baby in her lap, attempting to lull her back to sleep. The car pulled away from the curb, the young woman bowing her head to cry silently into her daughters hair.

Rio watched the car disappear down the road, his attention redirected only when Demon whistled from down the street, waving him over from his front lawn.

“What is it?” He asked, focusing on his surly associate, following him back into the house where Maya was still stewing on the couch, a magazine in her hands.

“Marco Moretti's main game aint pills; that's his side hustle.” Demon explained, flipping his laptop around for Rio to see. The screen was bright with an article from 15 years ago, a picture of an adolescent girl in the corner with Cassidy's same dark eyes. The headline was enough to make him shut the computer with sufficient force.

_12 Year Old Cassidy Moretti Held Captive In Basement For Months._

“What's it say?” He demanded, too angry to read it for himself. He slammed his fist into the table beside the laptop and waited for Demon to respond. Maya had discarded her magazine and answered his question before his right hand man got the chance.

“He sold her, Rio.” Tears in her eyes as she looked at her brother with disappointment. “She only escaped by breaking her own wrists and picking the lock on the trunk of a car.”

“Article said she rolled out into the middle of the road while in transit to her buyers. Apparently, she hid in a cornfield for two straight days.” Demon continued, pulling his laptop back open and skimming the article again.

Rio bolted up from the couch, clenching his fists so hard his palms stung. He stood behind Demon so he could look at the screen over his shoulder. The little girl in the picture had bruises over both her eyes, along with a face full of dirt and other scars. The familiar dark brown orbs were harder then the kind ones he had just looked into moments ago.

“She go to the cops?” He asked, taking a deep breath and sitting down beside Maya on the leather sofa, his head in his hands.

“Naw, she went back to get the other girls, though. I'm guessing she made them all disappear with new names because no one knows where any of them are. Can't believe she even told you her real name.” Demon explained, watching his boss carefully.

“You think he's askin us to run his pills so he can get more info on her?” He directed his question to the tall, dark skinned man but again, was answered by his sister.

“Of course he is. She fucked up his business by escaping after someone already paid for her. Then, she went back and set the rest of his inventory free. He must've lost a fortune, not to mention damage to his reputation. If he knows she's working for you, she's in trouble.” Maya said, her voice full of concern for her new friend.

“Fuck.” The athletic man breathed, throwing the front door open before her voice stopped him again.

“You've been telling me for a year how smart this woman is, Rio. You're going to an empty house.” The dark haired woman whispered.

“Son of a bitch.” He seethed, slamming the door behind him and driving to her home as quickly as he could. When he pulled up to the familiar, cozy farmhouse, Demon was right behind him, both stepping out of their cars and jogging inside urgently. Rio kicked the front door open to find the place in shambles. Glass littered the floor and every drawer was ripped from the dressers and turned inside out. Feathers covered the living room floor where every pillow had been sliced open and tossed to the aside. He went towards the kitchen, his gun held in front of him while Demon went to check the backyard.

  
“Two dead out here.” Demon called, Rio rushing through the glass door to meet him in the yard. Two bodies were laying face down in a pool of dark, red blood while his mind raced to put the pieces together.

They searched the rest of the house, the two men stepping into her bedroom to find a gut wrenching image. Written on her largest wall, in fresh, bright blood, was a greeting from Marco Moretti himself.

  
_“DADDY HAS BEEN MISSING YOU PRETTY GIRL”_


	9. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys sorry I haven't been able to update more. I have been writing a lot though so don't worry, I haven't forgotten about this story.
> 
> Trigger warning on this chapter

**Chapter Nine**

Money was never an issue for her. She made a lot of it and lived modestly. So, when she needed to relocate in the middle of the night, she had no problem dropping a couple hundred grand for a three flat on the north side of Chicago. It was a good distance from the south side where Rio's crew operated but not too far. It had been a little under a year since she fled her beautiful farm house and the man she'd grown too close to.

She looked down at the large Husky who walked protectively beside her as they made their way across town to pick Violet up from daycare. Cassidy's dark brown hair was now an ashy blonde, large sunglasses hiding her eyes. She checked in at the front desk of the fancy, private daycare, leaving Enzo outside to wait for them. Her face lit up when she saw Violet screaming happily and running after another small girl her age on the playground. It was autumn in the city, which meant all the kids were bundled up in their puffy coats and hats.

  
“Violet, look who's here.” Her teacher, Miss Penny said, pointing towards Cassidy who was on her knees, waiting for her daughter to look her way.

“Mama!” The little girl exclaimed, her dark curls bouncing behind her as she ran into her mothers arms.

“Hey, little bug.” She greeted, wrapping her up in a tight hug.

Her teacher came over and grabbed the little girls hand with a smile. “We had a great day, didn't we?” She said, speaking kindly to Violet.

“Paint! Paint!” She giggled, pulling on Cassidy's hair with excitement.

“Did you paint today?” She feigned dramatic excitement and tickled her tiny stomach.

“You guys have a nice day and I'll see you tomorrow, kiddo.”

Whatever happiness Violet showed for her mom, it was nothing compared to the pure joy that shown on her face when she saw Enzo.

“Puppy!” She yelled, running full force at the dog and wrapping her arms around his neck, much to his delight. His tail wagged furiously, tongue hanging out of his mouth as she continued to snuggle him.

“Let's get him back home so we can all play in the backyard before dinner.” The older woman said, holding her daughters hand as the three of them walked to their north side home.

“Glad to see the dog's alive.” Demon was sitting on her front steps when they got home, Cassidy stopping in her tracks and pulling Violets hand back to prevent her from getting any closer to the large man.

“What are you doing here?” She asked, looking up and down her busy street frantically to plan her escape if necessary.

“You changed your hair.” He redirected his attention to Violet, a small hint of sadness crossing his features before he masked it with his typical tough guy demeanor. “She got so big.”

“Yea, dude, it's been a year.” She said, her heart breaking as the burly gang banger she had grown to love sat, dejected, on her steps.

“Wasn't my choice. I missed the kid.” Saying more then he originally meant to.

“I missed you too.” She said, knowing what he meant. “Oh for fucks sake, come inside.” She let go of Violets hand and the little girl immediately took off into the house, speeding past Demon.

  
“Troublemaker like her mama already, aint she?” He laughed as he held the door open for the other two to enter, Enzo trotting in first before Cassidy.

“Just a little bit.” She shot him a smile before crossing the house and grabbing Violet a juice box. Once she was settled, she sat on the cozy living room floor, her feet resting on the dog contently. Cassidy turned the TV on and pulled Demon upstairs to talk privately in the hallway. “So, you gonna tell me why you're here?” She kept her voice steady as best she could.

“Been tryin to find you since the day you left. You're pretty good at disappearin.” His voice was as deep as she remembered it.

“Apparently not as good as I use to be, because here you are.” She said, punching his shoulder lightly, her face still showing her worry.

“Boss has been gettin close to Marco. Been runnin his pill game so he could gain your old mans trust.” He explained, Cassidy's eyes immediately going to the floorboards beneath her feet.

  
“Good for him. What does that have to do with me?” She asked.

“We found the article about what happened to you when you was just a kid. How you escaped.”

“Glad to know you're all doing business with a known sex trafficker.” She said, rolling her eyes and turning her back on him to go into her bedroom. She busied herself with a basket of clean clothes on her bed that needed folding. She was about three pieces in by the time Demon slumped against her doorway and continued.

“Aint like that. Been tryin to take him down.”

She puffed out a sarcastic laugh, tossing an unfolded shirt onto her bed. “Good luck with that. Doesn't answer why you're at my house.”

“Briella's on her way here to take Violet back to the South Side with her.” He said, skipping around her question and confusing her with more information.

“Like hell she is.” Her eyes narrowed as the doorbell rang downstairs. She shot Demon an angry glare before racing down the steps to answer it, scooping her daughter up as she went.

“There's my favorite little girl!” Briella exclaimed, poking Violets belly much to the tiny girls delight. “I've missed you so much, yes I have.” She smiled, walking in once Cassidy moved to the side, allowing her to.

“Bri, I'm not sure what Demon told you, but I don't need a sitter. Violet is staying with me.” Despite her words, the toddler reached for the familiar teenager with eager hands. Cassidy reluctantly let her go to her.

“Bri, go pack a bag for the kid while Cassidy and I talk.” Demon commanded. The kindness and patience in his tone did nothing to mask the urgency and danger.

“Come on.” He said, pulling the young woman outside by the arm until they were back on the front steps of her home.

  
“I'm really not interested in getting my job back, so if that's what this is about...” She stopped talking when he held his hand up, shaking his head. They both sat down on the cold cement.

“Marco knows where you're at. He's planning on coming to get you tonight.” He waited for her panic to set in but after a moment of silence, his eyes creased in confusion.

“You hear me, Miss De Luca?” He asked, slower this time, putting his dark, strong hand over her delicate one on the concrete steps.

She nodded, looking up at him with half a smile. “I know he found me. I have a way to take care of it.”

He blinked a few times, his mouth slightly open before regaining his position. “You nearly fainted at the mention of him before, and now you have a plan to 'take care of him'?” The air quotes he used made him look ten years younger, and her smile widened.

“I was surprised last time. It had been years since I'd seen or heard of him. I'm prepared now.” Her voice was confident as she pushed her ashy hair back away from her face.

“Please, let Bri help. She loves that kid and you know she'll be safer with her and Nikklaus while all this shit gets handled.” He pleaded, the teen choosing the perfect time to open the front door and walk between them until she stood in the driveway. She had Violet's bumblebee backpack, no doubt full of diapers and clothes, on her back with the little girl hanging on her hip easily.

Before she could question it, there was a loud scratching behind her and Demon, causing them both to turn back to see what it was.

“That wolf was not happy to see her leave with me.” Bri explained with a smile, the scratching now paired with a small whimpering. “Are you ok if I take her? I promise I'll protect her with my life and we will have so much fun together.” Her age showed more then it had before, her voice a little small as she tried to assure the older woman of her qualifications.

“I have absolutely no doubt that she will be taken care of with you.” She shot her a smile, standing from the steps to give her daughter a long kiss on her head. She grabbed her chubby hand and shook it playfully. “I'll miss you baby girl. We will be together soon and this whole mess will be over. No more hiding, ok?' She asked rhetorically, tears clouding her vision for a moment before she blinked them back and watched the pair of them drive away.

“It's not forever. She will be back home with her mama in no time.” Demon promised, walking up behind her and patting her shoulder a little too hard, the man unaware of his own strength.

“I appreciate you coming to warn me, but I really do have it under control. I didn't know he planned to come tonight but it doesn't change anything. I can take care of myself.”  
  
“He's been runnin himself into the ground since the day you left, tryin to make it right.” They both knew who he was referring to.

She shrugged sadly, rubbing her tear stained cheek against her shoulder as discreetly as she could. “There's nothing to fix. He didn't do anything wrong.”

“I hope this can stay between us.” He started, following her back inside where she busied herself in the kitchen getting them both a bottle of beer, gesturing for him to join her at the small corner table. His large body filled the small wicker chair uncomfortably across from her, but he made no complaints.

She nodded, letting him know her lips would be sealed.

“Man's been alone since I met him. Never had no one but Maya in his corner. No girls, no friends, no nothin. It's part of what makes him the best on the street. When you got nothin clouding your judgment, you make the good calls. The more people you love in this business, the more ways you can be hurt. It's easy to protect Maya and Levi. She works at a high traffic hospital and lives in a busy part of town. Not easy to get to her, and not worth the effort. Ten years in the game and everything was goin smooth. The money was pourin in so fast we didn't know what to do with it.” He stared at her now, waiting for her to meet his gaze before he would continue. When she finally raised her head, his words made her stomach drop.

“Til one day, Boss comes to meet me at a drop site, talkin 'bout some girl livin next door to him. See, aint no one ever heard him so much as _mention_ a woman before. We knew he hooked up a lot, knew he had no problem pullin em in.” He said, Cassidy rolling her eyes before waiting for him to get on it with. “So, the second I heard him mention you, even off the shoulder, casual, like that..” He took a pull from his beer. “Knew you was trouble.”

“I never meant to be any trouble to anyone.” She whispered, pushing her untouched drink away and wringing her hands on the table in front of her.

“No one thinks you did.” His voice was as strong as the rest of him. “There's a bit of a learning curve if you wanna be a part of this life. Gonna be a lot of misunderstandings, a lot of fights. Thing about Rio is, he aint never know how to say the right thing. Fucks up a lot, hurts people when he don't mean to. Closest thing he's got to a friend is me, and trust me when I say that regardless of all that shit, his hearts always in the right place. He'd die before he lets your old man hurt you again.”

“I can handle myself. Please, let me do it my way so this can all be over. I don't want anyone dying because of me. Not you, and not him.” It was late in the evening by now, the porch light turning itself on from the corner of her eye.

“There's a lot of shit you don't know about Marco's plan. He's not coming to get you alone tonight.”

She steeled herself for what he would say next, her short fingernails digging into the table now.

“The man who bought you all those years ago is coming to collect. Marco offered him his money back when you escaped but he declined. Said he would get what he paid for no matter how long it took.”

“So, my father and the man he sold me to when I was just a kid are both coming to my house in a few hours. And it's not to kill me.” She had to make sure she was hearing him correctly before her body shut down in a full blown panic attack.

Demon nodded, his body stoic and unsurprised when she began to pace the length of the kitchen, her nails bitten down to stubs between her teeth.

“How do you know so much about his plan?” She asked, suddenly stopping and turning to him slowly on her heel.

“See, that's where it gets complicated...” He trailed off, standing up but making no other movement.

She shook her head viciously, walking away from him swiftly until her back hit the wall on the other side of the room. “You can't.” She whispered, tears filling her eyes and spilling over in sheets.

He took a single step towards her, stopping mid stride when she instantly collapsed to the floor, hands in her hair, her entire body shaking as she pressed herself into the corner of the room. “No, no, no, no.” She screamed, curling in on herself as much as possible.

“It's the only way we can make sure we take out his entire operation.” The older man had done many things in his life that earned him a place deep in the bowels of hell. Nevertheless, his heart broke for the woman in front of him, cowering as he advanced towards her.

“Don't take me, please.” She begged, her hair sticking to her face, clear snot falling from her nose as she wept. The words came out in a shaky, barely audible pattern. “What about Violet?” She cried harder at the thoughts that filled her head, pulling her hair in a panic as she fell into an all too familiar PTSD episode. She felt like a child again as the memories and fear overtook her. “I'm all she has. There's no one to take care of her if I'm gone.” Enzo was suddenly in the doorway, a low growl coming from between his bared teeth.

Demon pulled Cassidy into his arms, squeezing as hard as he could as she struggled against him, her fists beating against his chest, attempting to swing at his face. He was able to pull his head back, his height giving him protection from her assault.

Enzo came charging at Demon, growling viciously. His large paws pushed up onto Demons stomach as he tried to take him down. The dog was barely a year old, but he packed quite a punch. The sturdy man faltered slightly as he held Cassidy in one arm and shoved the dog away with his other, using his foot to push him back further as he slipped through the small opening and out the front door. Cassidy knew there wasn't any use putting up a fight, choosing instead to cry into her former friends shoulder as she watched her dog clawing helplessly at the front window, trying his hardest to break through so he could rescue her.

“I hate doing this, Miss De Luca.” He whispered, his own eyes full of pain as he stuffed her into the trunk of his car, her muffled scream soon paired with the sound of her fists beating against the metal of the trunk.

"Not the trunk again, please!" She begged, her voice dry and broken as she slammed her hands against the door desperately.

When Demon got into the drivers seat, he pulled his pair of aviators on, even though it was pitch black and close to midnight. His fingers gripped the steering wheel painfully as he tried to ignore the sounds coming from behind him. She must have been kicking the top of the trunk now because it was much louder and more erratic then before.

“You reinforce the lock back there?” The voice from the passenger seat had a thick accent that was calm and even. Demon looked over at his boss, nodding once before putting the car in reverse and speeding off through the night towards Marco's personal residence. They had been doing business with his crew for almost a year now, most drops being conducted at his underground gambling ring in the heart of the city. When Marco finally invited the gang leader to his home a few weeks ago, a location hardly anyone knew about, Demon and Rio knew they were officially part of his trusted, inner circle.

The old, Italian man opened up pretty easily after that, bringing his daughter up casually in conversation before Demon finally suggested they help with bringing her in. After all, Cassidy use to work for them, it would be easy to gain her trust again. Marco seemed more then pleased with that idea, agreeing to pay them generously if they brought her in at midnight tonight.

“How'd she look?” Rio asked casually, keeping all emotion from his voice as they headed towards their most dangerous job yet.

The sounds grew louder from the trunk as the young woman tried with every fiber of her being to escape. She knew what would happen when that car stopped and she was ready to do everything she could to stay away from her father. Her brain had always been her best defense, logic and reason always being her first tool in helping her survive. It paid the bills, kept her safe, and allowed her to outsmart nearly every person she came into contact with.

However, it did nothing to save her today. When the car finally stopped, her fists, now ripped open and dripping with blood, froze. She pushed her body as far back into the trunk as she could and raised her hands in front of her, ready to put up one hell of a fight.

“She's blonde, but looked the same otherwise. Didn't see any bruises or nothin on her. The kid grew a whole lot.” Demon said with a sigh, getting out of the car and following Rio around to the trunk. He watched his boss take a moment to harden his face and ready himself for the next step in their plan.

"I lost an entire year with the both of em." He replied, running a hand over his face in exhaustion.

“You know, she aint never gonna forgive you for this.” Demon said, clapping his boss's shoulder hard.

“She aint gotta forgive me. Least she'll be alive. Guy like me aint got no business being with a woman like her anyways.” He said, popping the trunk open, ready to grab her if she tried to push through them. Despite what they was prepared for, she surprised both men with the exact opposite reaction. She didn't lunge at them or brandish her fists as a weapon. She was curled up entirely in the far back of the trunk, her head pressed against her knees, her body shaking violently

"My baby." She mumbled to herself in an unsteady whisper. "She's going to be all alone." She wept quietly, burying her face between her knees.

“Fuck.” Rio muttered, taking a step towards the trembling woman. He reached his hand out for barely a second before dropping it to his side.

"You said I was yours." She cried harder, knowing the man she'd missed was standing just a few feet away, waiting to deliver her to her father.

Rio opened his mouth, his heart heavy in his chest, before Demon interrupted. “I got this, boss. Go tell him we're back.” He said, shoving Rio out of the way with his shoulder and reaching inside to grab their captive.

“No, no, no.” She repeated in a hushed whispered, her fingers gripping the sides of her head in a full blown panic as tears and snot smeared her pretty face. Rio stormed off towards the house, his fists clenched deep in his pockets as he kept his composure as best he could.

The tall, dark skinned man held her petite frame against his chest, her tears instantly soaking his shirt. “No matter what happens, do _not_ mention Violet. They don't know she exists. She's safe with Bri.” He assured her, masking all concern from his features as he carried her up to the front door of the large estate. Moretti's home was in the middle of nowhere, miles of desolate cornfields surrounding the building.

“I'm never going to see her again.” She cried, gripping the mans arms painfully with her nails as she tried to fold in on herself once again.

“Ready yourself for what's next, Miss De Luca. It's time to go inside.” Demon knew this was the last time he would get to speak to her as himself. Once he crossed the thresh hold, he'd have to be the monstrous gang member Marco knew him as.

She nodded against his neck and went limp in his arms as he dropped her gently to the ground. The moment he pushed open the door, everything in the air shifted. Demon's grip became powerful and completely terrifying. He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her inside as she cried out in pain. Her feet kicked at the ground while her hands searched for anything to grab onto as he yanked her deeper into the house, letting her body drop gracelessly when they made it to the formal living room. She pushed herself up immediately and crawled backwards on all fours until she found a wall to brace herself against. No one else in the room was paying her any attention. Once she was far enough away, she looked around with wild eyes, finding the room packed full of neatly dressed men with expensive, hand crafted beers in their hands. Demon positioned himself beside her, no doubt guarding her from any possible escape, as the dozens of men conversed casually around her like they didn't have a care in the world. Only a few minutes had gone by, although it felt like hours, before someone finally spoke words meant for her.

“Is my beautiful baby girl finally back home with her daddy?” The second the deep voice flowed through the room, every other conversation stopped. Cassidy allowed herself to look towards the sound, finding a shadow of a man pushing himself up from far across the room. He had been covered by dark lighting and distance, but as he walked closer, she recognized his face immediately.

The man who stood before her emitted nothing but pulses of danger and vengeance that seemed to flow from his body in palpable waves. The small woman was still huddled on the floor, her legs pulled up to her chest protectively. He towered over her easily, making his power known right away. He was in his late 50's, his eyes the same dark brown as her own. The smirk that graced his thin lips made her visibly gag as he bent down to her level, putting his face just a breaths away from hers.

“That's her, alright.” Her former employer got up from the same position her father had been in, the two having obviously been talking together before her kidnapping so rudely interrupted their pleasant evening. Rio came to stand beside his new business partner with a smile on his face, looking quite pleased with himself.

“What did you do to your hair, Piccolo? You had such pretty dark curls.” He reached his massive, sweaty hand out to touch her cheek, pushing back into her hair slowly to lift the straight, ashy locks closer to his face to examine. He turned away for just a moment to direct a string of words at one of his many associates who filled the room. That was when she struck. She wasted no time once his attention was diverted, pressing two fingers to the top of his wrist and twisting the hand that held her hair swiftly and painfully all the way to the left. The sound of breaking bones filled the room. Marco cried out in surprise, shoving her away as he ripped his arm back, his entire crew on their feet, forming a circle around them.

She wasn't stupid. Cassidy knew it was her against at least 15 grown men. That didn't mean she wouldn't fight for her life.

“You stupid bitch. I arranged for my entire crew to greet you at my personal home and this is how you act? ” He seethed, his jaw clenched as he ground his teeth together. He snapped his own wrist back into place with the ease of a seasoned thug. A man came up beside him, moving him further out of the way before striking Cassidy down to the ground with a powerful blow to her face.

“Not too much, Dante. Her pretty face is what's making me so much money.” Marco laughed, looking to Rio who joined him with a bright smile full of white teeth. He let out an easy laugh that echoed through the crowded space. Cassidy felt her heart crack right down the center when the sound of his genuine amusement met her ears. Her face stung with a blinding pain, but she pushed the feeling down bravely.

“I'd like some time alone with my daughter before she's transported.” His crew dispersed immediately. Rio, Demon, and the man who had punched her were the only ones who stayed behind. The rest of his crew went to the basement level where pool tables and a full bar awaited them.

“You three will take her to the drop point. Our client will be there to receive her.”

“Yes, sir.” Rio spoke first, his voice powerful and firm as he stood tall beside Marco.

“Dante, what was the information you had for me?” Marco asked, staring only at his daughter the entire time he spoke. She was on the ground in a heap, her cheek turning purple faster with each passing moment.

“A member from one of the gangs we run with said they recognized her. Apparently she was pregnant last time they saw her.” Dante leered down at her with a menacing smirk. His perfectly styled blonde hair shone above his narrowed eyes.

“Is that so?” Marco got even closer to the small woman who was now staring back at him without a hint of fear in her dark eyes. “You got a baby hiding away somewhere, little girl?” He trailed his finger under her chin, examining her face carefully, moving it from side to side.

Cassidy ripped her face away from his thick fingers and moved back as much as she could.

“I had her tailed for a few months before we hired her. She had an abortion pretty far along. Apparently, she had to pay a pretty hefty chunk of change to get a doctor to preform such a thing so late in her pregnancy. Aint that right?” Rio's voice broke through the noise racing around her panicked brain and she scoffed at him, flipping him off angrily. She refused to dignify their inquiries with a response.

“Now, that just wont do.” Marco started, anger rising in his voice as his hand flew out in front of him to wrap around Cassidy's neck. He lifted her up off the ground until she was on her feet, slamming her head against the wall. He squeezed her throat in his meaty hand as his eyes burned into hers.

“You know you're not allowed to let anyone but your daddy play with you.” He held her against the wall even harder, the tips of her shoes barely ghosting the floor as she grabbed his wrists and clawed at them with her nails. Black spots had already begun to cloud her vision when she felt his wet tongue lick a trail down her face, starting at the bottom of her chin and going all the way to her temple.

Demon hid his hand inside his pocket when he couldn't keep a fist from forming. Rio shot him a warning look when he saw him take a step forward. Thankfully, Dante was the one to speak up.

“Sir, she's been sold. The client said you can do whatever you want with her but she's gotta be alive.” He carefully reminded his employer, clapping Marco on the shoulder in solidarity. He released her then, her body falling with a thud to the floor. She got on all fours, willing breath into her lungs as she gulped air in frantically.

“You're right.” Marco said, sleeking his hair back and straightening his expensive suit jacket. “Hold her down.” Cassidy's eyes went wide as she pushed up to her feet and put her fists out in front of herself immediately, ready to defend herself.

Barely a second later, Rio and Demon both grabbed her arms, pulling her back to the floor where she thrashed against them, kicking her feet forcefully, trying to get free. Dante wasted no time pinning both of her ankles down before Marco revealed a large hunting knife from inside his jacket pocket. He trailed it slowly down her shoulder, the tip pressing into her forearm, a thin trail of blood following the blades path.

“Sir, we have to get her ready for transport if we want to meet the client on time.” Rio said, masking his rage with detachment as the woman he had been missing fought to escape his iron grip.

“This will just take a moment.” Marco smiled down at Cassidy with revenge in his stare. He looked directly into her eyes as he slowly moved her shirt up until it wrinkled around her neck, her flat stomach exposed along with her bra clad chest.

“No.” She seethed, keeping the tears from her eyes. She bit her bottom lip in agony. She continued to move her body as best she could, attempting to free even just one of her limbs. Much to her dismay, there was no denying the strength of the men holding her down. Marco pressed the large blade to her stomach, right into the soft flesh of her waist. His other hand slid up to knead her breast clumsily, the smile never leaving his face. "You always did have great tits." He whispered menacingly.

Cassidy closed her eyes, refusing to give him the satisfaction of her fear and disgust.

“Scream for daddy.” He ordered, pressing the knife harder into her skin, dragging it up and down in some kind of intricate pattern. She shook her head viciously, her eyes flying open to look at the ceiling.

“Never again.” She vowed, still using all of her strength to fight against her captures.

Rio met Demon's stare from across her body, holding her arms down as they looked at one another. Without saying a word, Rio begged his partner to stay calm and stick to the plan, knowing it would be over soon if they could just keep their heads. This was turning out to be so much more gruesome then they'd anticipated, but it didn't change anything. This was the one and only time their plan would work. Marco Moretti's crew were never all in one location together. This was the first time he had insisted upon it for what he deemed 'a very special occasion'. If they wanted to end this, and fuck did Rio want to end this, they had to be smart and wait for the perfect moment.

They just had to get her to the car for transport and they would be home free. When her movements stilled under Rio's hands and blood seeped from her wound to create a puddle on the floor, he started to wonder if this was all a big mistake. Was there another way to do this job that didn't involve her writhing in agony that they just hadn't thought of? She had passed out shortly after her fathers torture had started, the men releasing their grips on her and standing up slowly to look down at her body.

Demon and Rio pushed their feelings as far down as they could but when they saw the new scar marring her flat stomach, they both felt the bile rise in their throats.

_'SLUT'_

The word was carved legibly into her flesh, each letter large and spaced apart with the care of a practiced artist. This had been a long time in the making, and Marco smiled down at his masterpiece with such pride that it took everything in Rio not to strangle the man to death right there in the middle of the room. Cassidy had passed out, from the pain or the panic, who could tell. Demon barely made it out of the room with the limp girl in his arms before losing his shit. He tossed her frail body into the trunk of the car for the second time that day, holding onto the wheel like it was all he could do to keep himself sane. It wasn't until Rio slipped into the passenger seat beside him that Demon swung his fist back and knocked his boss across the face.

The larger, muscular man was prepared for a retaliation punch. He was prepared to be fired and possibly killed right there on the spot, but he didn't care. Nothing could contain his rage for even a moment longer and if he couldn't take it out on Marco, he had to take it out on somebody. The satisfaction was short lived, however, when Rio's reaction brought him back to earth, reminding him that his friend was actually one compassionate son of a bitch.

“That aint even a fraction of the pain I deserve.” He said woefully, wiping his thumb under his cheek as blood trickled down. Demon had split the skin open with the ring he wore on his finger. He pulled the car further down the driveway, a good distance away from the house before he said anything further.

“Sorry, boss.” Demon said, pulling the seat belt across his chest and dropping his hands from the steering wheel. “Any minute now.” He muttered to himself, the two men staring at the house, supposedly waiting for Dante to join them. They saw him briefly from the front window as he said something to Marco, but before he could walk out the front door, the entire building erupted in flames. Three separate explosions sounded off with enough power to set off all the car alarms within a mile radius. Demon's face showed the hint of a smile, watching the building burn for a long moment before peeling out of the driveway and racing towards the drop point. Rio's face still showed nothing but anger and hopelessness as he cracked his knuckles.

“His whole crew was in there, right? No stragglers?” Rio asked, wanting confirmation that the grand arson they managed to pull off wouldn't be thwarted by some guy who stepped outside to take a piss.

“I made sure.”

“Just one more, then we can take her to Maya.” Rio said, sounding more then ready for this nightmare to be over. “Those fuckers didn't deserve to die so quick.” He was seething with rage and it was making the adrenaline pump like fire through his veins.  
  
A muffled voice came through, just barely, from the trunk and both men stopped breathing for just a moment to make sure they hadn't imagined it. When it came again a moment later, it was almost enough to make the two grown men scream.

“Demon?” She sounded so broken and sad even from the confines of the trunk. Rio flexed his fingers, steeling himself for whatever words came next.

“I'm here, Miss De Luca.” He replied, pulling over to the side of the road. The trio were only a few miles from the drop location with fifteen minutes to kill.

They heard her hiccup just barely before letting out a shuddering cry. “You said he'd die before he let me get hurt.”

Demon hung his head in shame, ignoring Rio's vicious stare and letting the words sink deep into his brain. He knew he would never forget this moment for as long as he was alive.

“You lied to me.” Her voice came through even quieter this time, all the fight gone from her body and her voice.

“We didn't know he was going to be so damn deranged when it came to you.” He offered up his words as if they gave him any right to have kidnapped the young woman and bring her to her lifelong abuser. “He's dead now. They all are. We just have to take care of the guy who bought you and then you can go home.”

“You both just stood there.” She whispered again, just loud enough for the words to reach their ears.

“He sliced into my stomach and groped me, and you both just watched.” She repeated quietly to herself, curling up in the trunk with her palm pressed firmly to her bleeding side. She had no idea the scar that lay underneath that would be with her for the rest of her life. She felt the car start to move again, the tears filling her eyes as she rested her head on her knees, her body pulled tight around itself. It was a short drive before she heard the two men get out of the car and footsteps come around, stopping near the trunk.

“She didn't roll out and escape this time around, did she?” Cassidy heard a muffled voice ask, squeezing her eyes shut when she heard the sound of her apparent buyer laughing at his own question.

“Naw, she's in there.” Rio said, stepping back to let the man inspect his purchase more closely.

“What happened to Dante?” The trunk must have been opened because his voice was louder now, Cassidy still hiding her face in her knees.

“Hungover.” Demon answered smoothly, standing off to the side as the man peered into the car at the broken woman inside.

“Tiny little thing, isn't she?” He breathed, reaching in to stroke the top of her head with a single finger.

Rio hummed in response, waiting a moment longer while the buyer was distracted to draw his gun from the back of his pants. The sleazy man was reaching his hands into the trunk to grab Cassidy when a string of muffled shots went off, blood immediately soaking through his shirt in three spots. His body crumbled to the ground after a moment, his eyes wide with shock. He was seizing violently, trying to open his mouth enough to form words. The blood loss was so immediate, seeping quickly from three separate holes. Demon stood over him, pressing his foot to the other mans neck with rage.

“What kind of sick fuck buys a little girl? ” He reeled back, spitting directly on the dying mans face. He waited until the life left his eyes completely before dragging his body deep into the field to be found. When Demon walked back to the car, he saw Rio trying to talk the scared young woman out of the trunk. He stood a safe distance back to watch the interaction from the shadows.

“Maya will fix you up and then you can go home. Just come out.” He said softly, reaching in cautiously to touch her shoulder. She shuddered so violently at the small contact that he pulled his hand back like he'd been burned. He couldn't see her face as she curled further in on herself, blood still pouring from her stomach fast enough to make a large stain on the upholstery beneath her.

“Miss De Luca, come on out.” Demon tried to reason with her calmly, standing beside his boss and waiting for her to make any kind of movement.

“I just want Violet.” Her voice was steadier as she wiped her face with the bottom of her shirt before lifting her head. Her eyes were bright red, a large bruise the only thing the two men seemed to be able to look at. Both of their eyes zoomed in on the mark immediately, her entire cheek a deep purple from Dante's hand.

“You don't want the kid seein you like this. Let my sister clean you up first.” Rio reasoned, stepping back enough to let her stumble out of the trunk. She looked at them with her eyes full of fear, remembering nothing but their strong hands holding her down only moments ago. When she finally swung her legs out of the trunk to sit on the edge, her head felt too dizzy to move.

“Cassidy.” Rio urged, reaching out to touch her before thinking better of it and dropping his hand.

She opened her mouth to speak but the words never made it out. She closed her eyes, spots clouding her vision, before everything went black. Her body slumped down and fell off the metal edge of the trunk. Rio shot his arms out to catch her unconscious body before it could hit the ground, Demon opening the car door for his boss to lay her down across the back seat.

“That was a lot of blood back there.” The towering man said, getting into the drivers seat while Rio got in beside him.

“Maya can fix her.” He said confidently, turning at the waist to look back at her lifeless body. His heart was heavy in his chest at the site of her so injured.

“Your sister's gonna want to know what happened to her.” Demon countered, driving as fast as he could, knowing they were still a few hours away from home.

“We'll tell her the truth.” He replied.

“After the year we had, it's hard to believe Marco's finally out of the game.” Demon said after the car filled with too much silence.

“What kind of sick fuck sells his own kid.” Rio spat rhetorically. “If it had been anyone else, they wouldn't have escaped like her.”

“That's what you liked about her in the first place. Couldn't get you to shut up about how smart this girl was.” Demon smirked knowingly at his employer.

“The word don't even do her justice. Girl's a goddamn genius. So is that kid of hers.” His words were proud but his voice was full of regret and grief.

“Let Maya clean her up and get her head right. Maybe she'll let you explain.”

Rio reached over and clapped his partner on the shoulder, letting out a dry, humorless laugh.

  
“You're a good dude, Demon. Couldn't have pulled this shit off without you. Gotta give you a raise.”

“She was worth it. She made you almost tolerable there for a while.” He joked, keeping his eyes glued to the road as they pulled off onto Rio's block.

“Shoulda told her a year ago.” Rio's words were vague, but Demon understood.

“Aint no rule sayin you can't still tell her.”

Rio laughed boldly this time, his eyes creased, a row of perfect white teeth visible even in the pitch black car. “I held her down with my own two hands while she screamed and cried. I brought her back to Marco and I'm the reason she's hurt. I'm a fuckin piece of trash for what I did.”

“You did it to protect her.” Demon reasoned.

“Don't matter. After all that, ain't no reason for her to believe how much I love her.”

The men pushed their doors open at the same time, ready to go inside and get one step closer to the end of this shitty night.

Cassidy's eyes were wide open in the backseat.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

“Stop hovering!” Maya barked at the two men loitering in the doorway. The dining room of Rio's home was cramped and his sister was beyond furious. “I can barely look at either of you right now. Go outside until I'm done.” She pointed at the back door with her eyes narrowed. Demon turned immediately, the screen slamming behind him as he left. His boss, however, lingered.

“She gonna be ok?” He pushed his luck, daring a glance at Cassidy's mangled body lying limp on the large, wooden table they had cleared off. Her hands were curled into fists at her side, biting back a scream as Maya gently pulled back the fabric of her shirt.

“I”m sorry.” Maya whispered, running her hand over Cassidy's hair for a brief moment.

“Maya!” Rio snapped, annoyance coursing through his veins at being ignored.

“Christopher!” She replied with just as much bite. “Don't expect me to answer such stupid questions. Look at her!” She swept her arm over the space the injured girl occupied. “Does it look like she's ever going to be ok again?”

He rubbed the top of his head anxiously as he stood further back, watching her work.

“Is Levi ok?” The young woman's voice was raspy and quiet, but both siblings snapped to attention at her words.

“He's fine, honey.” Maya assured her. Three soiled stacks of gauze joined the pile on the floor as she pressed a clean one to her still bleeding stomach.

“I was worried about him.” She continued, stopping briefly to cough. Cassidy had to take a few deep breathes before saying any more. “My father makes a good living selling adults, but children catch even more cash.”

“Aint got no business concerning yourself with _my_ family.” Rio snapped before his sister had a chance to respond. Instant regret flooded his body when he watched the petite blonde shrink back into the table. Maya shot him a venomous look.

“You're right. Sorry.” She whispered before a small scream escaped her lungs, a sharp pain shooting up her abdomen. It came out as a broken squeal, but Rio took an instinctive step closer when he heard it.

“Don't, don't.” Cassidy begged, tears spilling down her face. “Don't come any closer to me. Please.” Her body shook as she erupted into full blown sobs. He stopped immediately, walking backwards to his original position in the doorway.

“Jesus, what did you do?” Once Maya finally stopped the bleeding, she cut her shirt the rest of the way off and examined her body for any more injuries. She tended to the minor scrapes and bruising before moving to her face.

“He didn't do anything. It's all my fault.” Cassidy defended weakly. Maya pushed her patients ashy hair away from her forehead and started cleaning the skin that was broken and stained with dried up blood. She moved Cassidy's hand to hold an ice pack over her swollen cheek before examining her forearm.

“What is this?” She looked at Rio.

“He sliced down her arm pretty good.” He muttered, shame in his voice.

“It's deep. You'll need stitches.” She was talking to Cassidy again, letting her know she would be right back. Maya disappeared into the small bathroom, the sink turning on immediately.

The air was thick once the two of them were alone again for the first time in a year. Cassidy was in too much pain to notice, but Rio felt it enough for the both of them. He watched her exhausted form laying slack on the table, the blood finally wiped clean from most of her skin. She remained silent, but he could see the tears rolling down her olive cheeks. Her lacerated arm was still caked in dried blood and he found it hard to look away from such mangled flesh.

“You'll be back with Violet soon and you can put all this shit behind you.” He offered, filling the silence. She nodded quickly to appease him, too fearful to speak against his words.

“Okay.” She whispered, her fingers uncurling, stretching out against the wood. She leaned up in a sad excuse for a sit up so she could see her own stomach. She narrowed her eyes in confusion at the unreadable pattern in the red, swollen cuts.

“Lay back, sweetie.” Maya urged, pressing her back down gently on the chest. Her hands were still damp from being scrubbed clean in the bathroom, pale red staining her bronzed skin.

“What does that say?” Cassidy asked, running her hand over the painful, risen letters.

“Let's just get you cleaned up first and then we can talk, ok?” The older woman negotiated, threading a needle carefully at her side. She nodded weakly and looked over at her bleeding appendage.

“How many do you think I'll need?”

“It's a long, deep cut.” Maya answered sympathetically. “And I don't have anything for the pain. We're probably looking at 20 stitches down your whole arm.”

Rio cursed across the room. The door slammed shut behind him on his way outside to join Demon.

“He hates me.” Cassidy whispered, biting the inside of her lip as Maya pulled the needle through her broken skin for the first stitch. She tensed immediately from the pain, but contained her urge to pull away.

Maya nodded as she concentrated on the tedious work in front of her. “I can see how it would look that way. Comes off as a real asshole, that's for fucking sure.” She pulled the thread tight before dipping it into her skin again.

“No, it's not his fault. It's me.” She was broken, digging her nails into the wood of the table. The pain was so fierce, she could hear the blood roaring in her ears. “It's always me.” She gritted her teeth as Maya got closer to her wrist with each stitch.

“There's nothing wrong with you.” She tried to reason with her, tying off the last stitch and covering her entire arm with a layer of thick fabric. She helped her sit up carefully.

“I've been on my own for so long. Who would want to be with someone like me? With my messy, fucked up life.” She was too exhausted to contain her thoughts, choosing instead to let them tumble from her mouth. Rio was right outside the door, listening as best he could as the two woman spoke.

He had his hand on the brass knob, ready to throw it open but stopped when he heard their conversation continue.

“Do you want to talk about what happened?” He heard his sister offer. She helped the younger woman stand and take a more comfortable seat on the couch in the next room.

“I appreciate you helping me.” She answered, breezing passed her original question.

“You're my friend, Cassidy.” She said, Rio hanging his head instantly at those words. His sister had never had someone she considered a genuine friend.

The frail woman managed a small smile in response. “Am I allowed to leave now?” Her voice tiny, afraid of the answer.

“You've lost so much blood. I don't know if that's the best idea....” She trailed off, rubbing her hand up and down the younger woman's back.

“Come on.” Rio snapped his fingers twice in quick succession from the wide open front door. Demon stood a few paces back, both girls looking over at them. “Time to get you back where you belong.”

Tears welled up uninvited in her dark eyes at his harsh tone, nodding none the less as she pulled herself up to stand. Maya gasped, grabbing her under the arms before Cassidy crumpled to the ground, the dizziness clouding her eyes with black spots. The ground felt like it had disappeared beneath her feet.

Rio looked back over his shoulder, Demon walking ahead and reaching for the timid girl.

She shook her head urgently and put her hands up in front of her face. “Don't touch me.” She pleaded, shaking her head to clear her vision. He stopped his advances at once, stilling just a foot away from her as Maya helped keep her steady enough to stand.

Rio stormed forward, bending down just enough to wrap his arms around her knees and throw her over his shoulder.

“Careful!” His sister screamed, trying to pry his grip away from the injured woman with her small hands. Cassidy, however, didn't put up a fight, her body limp against his muscular frame. He turned on his heels and stormed out the door, Demon and Maya right behind him.

“Boss...” Demon drawled, questioning his friends head space in that moment.

“Stay back and have the clean up crew sweep through the house. We don't need anyone finding her blood all over my shit.” His words were harsh. He carelessly tossed her into the back seat of his sleek, black sports car. She landed in a heap, curling in on herself once again. She hid her face behind her drawn up knees as she tried to make her body as small a target as possible for any further abuse.

“There's no one here, Christopher!” His sister stormed across the yard, punching him repeatedly in the chest with her tiny fists. He did nothing to stop her, staring down as she threw punch after punch. “You don't have to put on a show right now. It's just us!”

“You're making too big a deal out of this. It's just business.” He grabbed Maya's wrists and shoved them away from him, his sister stumbling back from the force with an audible gasp. Demon stepped between them, forcing Rio back with a push in the chest, meeting his boss's stare with one of equal rage.

“That's your sister.” He told his friend simply, standing tall in front of Maya with his arms crossed. The woman righted herself and urged Demon to step aside, gently pushing him away and stepping up to her brothers towering form once again.

“Just let me ride in the back with her. She's all alone.” Maya begged, turning her attention towards the car, her own eyes filling with tears.

“Go back inside, Maya. It's just some girl.” The car door was still wide open and silence fell between the group. His words elicited even more cries from the woman in the back seat. Maya moved around him and leaned into the car.

“This will all be over soon. Violet's going to be so excited to see you and tell you all about her day with Bri.” Before anyone could stop her, Maya was sliding in beside the young woman, still in the fetal position. She pulled Cassidy's head into her lap as she wept. Her body shook fiercely from the powerful sobs.

“You gotta breathe. In and out.” She coaxed, shifting into nurse mode when her friend went into a full panic attack.

“What's goin on?” Demon asked, moving passed his boss and looking into the car.

“I let him touch me. This is what happens when I let people get too close.” She rambled on, pulling her blonde hair tightly into her fists as she cried. “They just rip me apart.”

Maya's eyes shot over to her brother with a look of absolute disgrace. She gathered the girl closer into her arms as she fell apart.

“I'm the worst mother in the world.” She continued to rant, her words coming out so fast, paying no attention to those around her. The stress of the day was seeping deep into her mind, scarring her all over again. “Violet's going to grow up all alone because I'm going to end up dead or in jail.”

“You have me. I would take care of Violet if anything happened. I promise.” Maya vowed, seeing so much of herself in Cassidy. Rio slammed the drivers side door closed while Demon went back into the house to wait for clean up.

“Don't say that shit. You got enough on your plate with Levi.” He chastised, speeding off towards the north side.

“Is Marco really dead?” Her voice was barely audible, so afraid of being told to shut up.

“Damn right he is. Which is why I'm wonderin why you're back there sobbin when you should be thanking me.”

His sister opened her mouth to yell at him, but Cassidy did something much more surprising. She let out the smallest, softest laugh he'd ever heard come from her full, feminine lips.

“Just ignore him.” Maya said, smoothing her hair down as she encouraged her to take more deep breathes.

  
“No, he's right.” She said, righting herself and swiping the back of her hand over her cheeks. “Thank you.” She said clearly, catching his eye in the mirror. He looked away when her angry eyes became shiny with fresh, unshed tears once again.

“You saved me from a lifetime of bad decisions. You pretended to care about my kid. You acted like I might actually be worth something to you. I would've followed at your heels for any scrape of attention you'd throw my way if it meant I got to spend time with you. And you would've crushed me with a smile on your face. So, thank you for helping those men beat some sense into me. I almost fell in love with you.” She whispered, pulling her knees underneath her as she stared out the car window. Rio's eyes snapped to the mirror once again, Cassidy's stare now replaced with Maya's. His sister looked at him with such despair. He wasn't sure if he would ever recover from hearing those words.

They pulled up to her house and her body flooded with relief.

  
“You've been a great friend to me, Maya. And you're such a wonderful nurse.” Cassidy leaned over, wrapping her arms around the only friend she currently had.

“I'll come check on you in a few days.” It was more of a plea then a request. The younger woman smiled in response.

“I would love that.” Cassidy said, stepping out of the car and limping towards her front door. Each step was clear agony for her injured body, and it wasn't until she was safely inside that Rio turned the car back on and shifted into reverse.

  
“You're joking, right?” Maya climbed over the center counsel, settling her long legs into the passenger seat beside the angry gang leader. She reached over and slammed the car back into park, causing it to jerk forward roughly. She leaned back in her seat to stare him down daringly.

“What the fuck, Maya? This day has got to be over. I can't do anymore.” He slammed his hands on the wheel before pressing his forehead against it.

“Woman up, Christopher and get the hell in that house. You get on your hands and knees and _make_ her understand. She's not mad about what you did. She's been in the game just as long as you. Above all that, she's smart. She knows everything that happened was unavoidable.” He listened to his younger sister speak with wisdom beyond her years. “What _was_ avoidable, was how you shut yourself off completely and tossed her into the car without a single care in the world for her injuries. You get that she has the word 'slut' carved into her stomach for the rest of her life, right? You get that that happened?”

“Yea, I was there.” He snapped, raising his head just enough to shoot her a look of rage. “I was the one who held her down.”

“Then get in there and tell her why you're like this.” She ordered, her own anger making her hands shake so much she had to ball them into fists at her side.

“Like what? Aint nothin wrong with me.” His voice getting weaker and less convincing by the minute.  
  
“Aint nothin wrong with you?” She repeated with a venomous laugh. “You have absolutely no clue how to love someone. The second you found a woman you thought you could, you had to ruin it.” She leaned over his body just enough to push his door open and shoved his shoulder, forcing him out of the car.

“I'll wait here.” She got her phone from the side of her jeans and busied herself with mindless scrolling, effectively dismissing him.

“What makes you think she'll even let me in there?” He stared up at the house with his hands deep in his pockets.

“Guess we'll be here all night then.” She replied simply, unwrapping her headphone from around her phone and putting the buds in her ears.

He forced his long legs to take the necessary steps towards the front of her home, pulling his hoodie up around his head as he went. Rio bypassed knocking and went right to pushing the front door open, finding some resistance behind it. He pushed it harder, just wide enough to stick his head inside and see Cassidy's body slumped against the bottom of the door.

"Fuck." He cursed, shoving the door even harder. He squeezed inside the gap, the door shutting rapidly behind him by her body weight. Before he could crouch down in front of her crumpled body, the large Husky came in from the kitchen, growling at him viciously.

“It's okay, Enzo.” Her small voice cut through the silence, sitting up to hug the dog around his thick neck. The growling was immediately replaced with content panting as his owner showered him with praise.

“I missed you.” She whispered into his fur. Rio stepped back a few paces to stand on the other side of the large living area.

“Bri's bringin the kid back tomorrow afternoon. Gives you some time to rest up.” He made himself comfortable against the dark blue love seat, watching the pair interact on the floor.

“Ok.” She said, petting her canine companion over and over in soothing strokes. The dog leaned into her hand, licking at her bandaged wrist each time.

“That's all you got to say? All that shit that happened; all that stuff I did. You're just gonna sit there and say 'okay'?” He barked, his eyebrows pulled together in annoyance.

Cassidy straightened her back as best she could, leaning heavily against the door. One hand flew to her injured stomach as she moved her knees up to her chest, pain etched deep in her face.

“I'm too afraid to say anything else.” She admitted in a hushed tone, finding his eyes across the room with a deep sadness laced in her own irises.

“Afraid of me?” He asked, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

“I'd be stupid not to be.”

“And we both know you aint stupid.” He said, nodding in understanding.

“I dunno.” She shrugged, wiping her cheek against her shoulder discreetly. “I think I've done some pretty questionable things.”

The air filled with such thick silence it was almost deafening.

"I never wanted to be someone who hurt you." He explained weakly. “I had to make it believable to keep you and Violet safe. I didn't want to do any of it.” His voice was strained.

“I know.” She whispered, pulling her shirt up to look at her gauze covered injury.

“That aint somethin you wanna be lookin at right now.” Rio muttered, knowing she was still in the dark about the pattern on her skin.

Her eyes snapped up to his, the shirt falling back into place as her hands went slack.

“What's it say?” Her voice was small and scared.

“Let it heal up a bit, then you can see.” He negotiated cautiously.

When she lifted the garment again, he took his chances and skidded across the floor on his knees until he came to a halt in front of her. He grabbed her hands in his to stop her from ripping the bandage off to see the word for herself.

“Don't.” He ordered gently, moving her hands back down to her sides before releasing them completely.

“You told them I got an abortion so they wouldn't find Violet.” She said, wiping the tears from her cheeks for what felt like the millionth time that day. His eyes narrowed.

“I know what I said." He paced the length of the living room anxiously.

“How much do I owe you for the lie?" His pacing halted immediately. “I don't want to be indebted to you.”

“We're square.” He muttered, running his fingers along the picture frames that lined the mantle of her fireplace. Most of the photographs were of Violet and Enzo, the little girl always sporting a wide smile across her face. When he got to the last frame, however, Violet was in the arms of a tall, blonde haired man. The two of them were laughing in the candid picture, Violets curls in two long pigtails while the man tickled her stomach, much to her delight.

“Mr. Fictitious?” He asked, raising a brow in Cassidy's direction. She was trying to pull herself off the floor but found the pain only intensified with the effort. She sucked in a gulp of air through her teeth as she pushed through the agony, forcing her body to shuffle towards her bedroom down the hall.

He followed a few paces behind her, waiting in the doorway as she changed into an over sized purple hoodie and a short pair of black cotton boxers in the connecting bathroom. She had a hairbrush in her hand when she came back out, sitting gently on her bed. She moved as little as possible with each breath.

Her fair was full of blood and tangles, the brush doing little to help the mess. Still, she ripped the brush through every knot.

“He gonna call the cops?” He asked, stepping inside the room fully now that she was dressed. His towering, muscular form was as intimidating as ever standing in front of her.

“Who?” She asked with confusion, stands of pale blonde hair falling from the brush as she continued her attempt to comb through the mess of waves.

“Dude from the photo.” He snapped, his patience thinning as he kicked his foot against the bed frame.

“No, Mr Fictitious wont call the cops.” She sighed, giving up and tossing the brush to the side in frustration. “He'd be too busy clippin coupons and other basic shit like that, remember?” She threw his words back at him from a year ago.

Enzo trotted past Rio and curled up at Cassidy's feet. “Hey boy.” She whispered, scratching his ears lovingly.

“He's a good dog.” Rio said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

“The best.” A small smile appeared on her lips as she continued to run her nails up and down his fur.

“It's good you found a dude who gets along with your kid.” He said, trying unsuccessfully to keep the jealousy from his voice.

“You're doing it again.” She said, rolling her eyes. “Assuming things without asking.”

“You sayin' he aint your boyfriend?”  
  
“Isn't that what got you in this mess in the first place?” She countered his question with her own.

He nodded slowly, his tongue flicked out to wet his lower lip.

“If you wanna know something, you're going to have to ask.” She insisted with more force then she'd been able to summon within the last 24 hours. “Don't make sarcastic comments, don't be a dick, just ask me.”

“Is that guy in the picture your man?” He finally said, his features softening as he tried his best to change the behavior that was so ingrained in his mind.

“He's the head of the Chicago Red Cross. I steal tons of money every year to give to their charity and we've known each other a long time.” She made sure he was looking at her before she continued. “He's a good friend but no, he's not my boyfriend.”

Silence enveloped them for way too long before Rio couldn't bare it anymore. He got to his knees in front of her, grabbing her small hands in his. She tried to tear them away but he held on tight, bringing them to his lips carefully.

“I don't deserve to live after what I did.” The words fell, muffled, against the skin of her curled up fists.

"That man smacked me so hard across the face, and all I could think about was you." She whispered, looking down at his large hands. "My father use to do such awful things to me. To see you standing beside him-" Her words caught in her throat as she choked back the tears that threatened to fall. Her lip trembled before she could continue. "I know you had to do it. And I'm so glad he's finally gone. I just don't want to live the rest of my life with that imagine of the two of you together in my head. The man I hate next to the man I..." She trailed off, unable to find the words as trauma continued to cloud her mind.

He let go of her hands and hung his head in front of her, feeling unworthy of even looking at her beautifully broken face. “Smartest thing you ever did was gettin away from me.” He let his hands fall to the mattress on either side of her hips, using all of his inner strength to keep from reaching out and touching her.

“Why are you still here?” She finally asked. She'd exhausted all the tears from her system, her eyes red and puffy beneath her ashy bangs.

“It's been a year since I've seen you. I was such a fuckin idiot, Cassidy. After all that time, I finally got to see you again, and the first thing I did was hold you down while your daddy sliced you up.” He shook his head, disgusted with himself.

"How could you put me back in a trunk?" She shook her head, blinking back the fresh tears that formed behind her eyes before they could fall. She got up from the bed and paced the length of the room. "You locked me in there just like He did when I was a little girl."

"I couldn't see you before we went in. I would've cracked. He had to believe I was with him on this or he'd have someone else transport you to the buyer. I couldn't risk you leaving without me there to protect you.” He admitted, pleading with her.

“Why did you care more about Jake's abused girlfriend all those years ago then me?” She asked, her words slicing through his heart like a knife. "All you saw in me was a girl with 'daddy issues'" She spat his own words back at him harshly. "You didn't even care about what he did."

“I got a lot of people who depend on me. All those guys that work for me got kids and families they provide for. I get blinded by the cash sometimes. Aint no excuse.”

“You said it was just business.” She whispered, hanging her head as the events of last year flashed before her eyes. She covered her entire stomach with both hands as she walked, pressing the palms to her bare skin where she had pushed up her shirt. He watched her every move from his spot on her bed, his chin resting in his hands. Her stitches had ripped open, blood spilling down her flat stomach heavily enough to stain the top of her shorts. He shot up from the bed and ripped her hands away, the olive colored skin now covered in thick, red fluid.

“Sit down.” He ordered, leading her into the bathroom and pushing her towards the tub. “I'll get Maya.” He said, turning away from her.

  
“Don't.” She begged, her eyes red and dry. She ripped the shirt off in a single motion, pulling the shorts down shortly after and tossing them both in the corner of the room. She was left in a plain black bra and black panties, peeling the soaked bandage from her stomach next.

“Jesus.” He grabbed a stack of towels from below the sink and went to work on the injury. He urged her to lean back as he pressed the small hand towel against her skin, earning a gasp of pain immediately at the contact. He looked into her eyes, whispering an apology.

"Am I just business, Rio? Is that all I've ever been?" She asked, tears filling her large, brown eyes. He opened his mouth to answer but she cut him off, her voice strong as she continued. "Because you were so much more."

“We had a connection from the moment we fuckin met. Saw something in you the second you knocked on my door." He huffed, pressing down gently on her wound until the bleeding slowed. "You are _not_ just business to me." He vowed.

“Couldn't just ask me out for coffee like a normal person?” She asked, finding it impossible that he saw something in her so soon after meeting.

“And put a target on your back? I'm not a normal person, Cassidy. I don't have that luxury.”

She nodded slowly, accepting his answer.

“Demon missed that kid of yours.” He said, trying his best to distract her as the blood continued to push through the broken stitches, seeping into the fabric of the towel. He could hardly believe the feeling in his stomach when she rewarded him with a tiny smile.

“He's a good guy.” She hissed again in pain as he pulled the cloth away, replacing it with another one. He applied enough pressure to get the blood to stop eventually and stood up, giving her space.

“I'm gonna talk to Maya outside. Why don't you shower and get cleaned up. You'll feel better.”

He turned to leave before her voice stopped him. She was still huddled against the edge of the tub, her body barely holding itself up after the exhaustion seeped deep into her bones from the events of the day.

“You haven't told me why you're still here.” She whispered, turning the tap on in the tub and pulling the handle, causing the water to sputter out of the shower head above.

“Got a lot of time to make up for. Wanna explain myself, if you'll let me.” He said, grabbing her a fresh towel from the pile he made on the floor, handing it to her cautiously.

“Heard you in the car talkin to Demon. When you thought I was unconscious in the back.” She said suddenly, looking him dead in the eye when he whirled around to face her once again.

He simply hummed in response.

“You're wrong if you thought you ever loved me. It's not even a possibility.” She rolled her eyes, gesturing to her body and the space around it dramatically. She crossed her arms over her exposed stomach “Look at me.” She whispered, suddenly disgusted with herself and all of her baggage. The laugh that followed fell humorlessly from Rio's lips.

“Been lookin at you this whole time, Sweetheart.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you guys are enjoying the story xox


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that I don't update on a regular schedule but i Have a bit of a chaotic life. I really love writing so I try to do it when I want to, so it stays an enjoyable hobby and not something I dread missing a deadline for. Hope you guys enjoy!

**Chapter Eleven**

It was a painful event, but Cassidy finally managed to clean herself thoroughly enough that she felt almost human again. Maya sat behind her on the bed, brushing her hair out for her so she didn't have to move her arms. “So, you're a blonde now?” The dark skinned woman teased as she pulled the bristles through her wet, sandy colored waves.

“Now that Marco is gone, I'll dye it back to normal. I don't feel much like myself with Barbie hair.” She shot back with a smile.

“You excited to see Violet tomorrow?” She asked, checking her friends newly patched up abdomen.

“Yes. She makes everything so much better.” Cassidy couldn't keep the grin off her face that came with any conversation involving her daughter. She was the reason she breathed, no matter how hard it was sometimes.

The young Italian grabbed the pillow from her bed and walked out into the living room, tossing it on the couch before lowering herself onto the cushion. Rio was on the other end, storing his phone in his pocket when the girls joined him in the room.

“You sleepin' out here?” He asked, eyes knitted in confusion.

“I'll go wait in the car. I was serious about coming back to check on you in a few days. Please, try to get some rest.” Maya kissed the top of her head, shutting the front door quietly as she left.

“I can't sleep in my bed right now.” She eventually answered, making the smallest movements she could manage to lay down on her back against the plush couch. Her bare feet hit the outside of Rio's thigh before she recoiled back, the sudden jerk causing pain to shoot down her side with a newfound intensity.

“Why?” He asked, spotting an over sized blanket in the wicker basket beside him. He stood, shaking it out before draping it over her tiny, broken frame. She curled up underneath it, her face etched with misery and discomfort.

“I'm so tired, Rio.” Her voice pleading as she retreated even further into herself. She pulled her knees up to her chest. “Please don't make me explain the nightmares I will undoubtedly have in my bed tonight. Not after everything.” She begged, blinking her eyes hard enough to keep from crying.

He crouched down in front of her head, pulling his phone out as he did so. “I told Maya to head home. Get some sleep. I'll keep the monsters away tonight.”

“Don't be ridiculous. You have work. You're a busy man.” Her voice slurred towards the end. Her eyes were shut completely now, her breathing almost even.

“I'm the boss. I can take a day off when I need to.”

“What makes you think I need you?” She whispered, her voice laced with sleep as she pulled the blanket closer to her chest, holding it under her chin tightly.

“I need _you_. So, you're just gonna have to deal with it.” He clarified, brushing the damp, heavy waves from her forehead.

He stepped outside to make a few calls, checking in on Demon and the rest of his crew. He made sure Maya got home and called Bri to make sure Violet was okay. When he got back inside, he shut off all the lights, emptied his pockets and shrugged off his black hoodie. Dragging the dark gray recliner across the room until it was right beside Cassidy's head, he made sure she was within reach before he settled into it for the remainder of the evening.

Rio felt surprisingly rested when he awoke, considering it was still pitch black outside, the living room absent of all light except the barely rising sun streaming through the single pane window to the side of the front door. He was about to consider what had woken him in the dead of night, but the question soon answered itself when he looked over to the young woman tossing and turning on the couch beside him.

“Don't, please.” She begged painfully in her sleep, the blanket that had been covering her was now on the floor in a forgotten heap.

“Cassidy, wake up.” He pushed himself out of the chair and crouched down. He balanced on his heels, eye level with her shaking form.

“Don't touch me.” She pleaded in her sleep, fighting with an unknown force as she turned from one side to the other, ignoring the agony of her injuries in her unconscious state.

“You gotta wake up, girl.” He shook her shoulders with enough force to rouse her, her small frame sitting up immediately, wild eyes glancing around the darkened room.

Rio let out a string of curses when he saw her nails buried into the top of her thighs, small crescent shaped marks scarring her olive skin. He wrapped both her wrists up in one of his large hands, using the other to brush the hair away from her face that was damp with sweat.

“I'm sorry.” She mumbled, instantly wide awake and extremely embarrassed.

“What the fuck you got to be sorry about? I'm the one who let that sick son of a bitch put his hands on you.” He sneered, angry with himself as he glanced at the clock on the far side of the room. It was nearly five am and she was still heavy with exhaustion.

“It wasn't him.” She shook her head, swinging her legs over until her feet could touch the ground.

“Come on.” His voice was rough, leaving no room for argument. He wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her to the bedroom. She immediately shook her head, trying to turn away from the space completely as they came to a halt in the doorway.

“Doctors orders. You gotta get some sleep. No one is coming to hurt you tonight.” He pulled back her duvet and waited for her to slide in underneath it.

“He's still out there somewhere.” She explained as she got settled against her king sized mattress. Rio crossed over to the other side, laying down on top of the covers, giving her as much space as possible across the vast area of the bed.

“Who is?” He asked, eyes full of rage and protectiveness.

“I never have nightmares about my father. Not much my subconscious can create that didn't already happen. I dream about that night in the alleyway...” She trailed off, turning on her side to face him in the darkness. His fists tightened at his side, his jaw clenched as he looked over at her.

“The guy that knocked you up?” He clarified, running his tongue over the top row of teeth in his mouth. He wasn't sure if he'd ever felt so angry.

“You sure do have a way with words.” She smirked. She reached across the space, her hand face up between them.

“He's dead.” He said easily, ignoring her hand and closing his eyes to avoid any further questions. Of course, he should've known better then to think something like that would work on an intelligent woman like her.

“I don't even know who he is.” She snapped back, leaning up on her elbow, her eyes boring into his.

“And now you never need to. Go to sleep before I call my sister and get her to shoot you with a sedative.” His threat was weak and well-meaning.

“When?” She asked frantically, her nails digging into her palms at the memories that flashed through her brain in quick succession.

“The day you told me.” He said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. He cracked one eye open just enough to gauge her reaction.

“Why?” She asked, her voice small. She felt like they were miles away form each other as he stayed put on his side of the bed, as far away from her as he could manage.

“He raped you.” He spat, looking up at the ceiling, his fists opening slowly so he could flex his long fingers, trying to relax his muscles. He'd never felt such rage before, burning a fire in his veins and spreading through his entire body.

“I know that, Rio. Why did you kill him?” She asked again, throwing the thick comforter from her body and moving closer to him on the bed.

“Don't.” He shrunk away from her, his voice a hard warning. “I don't deserve to have you anywhere near me.”

“Why did you do it?” She asked again, annoyance in her voice as she continued to shift closer to him until their arms brushed one another.

“Couldn't have him coming after the kid.” His voice was steady, trying his best to downplay the incredible act of service he did for her. She'd never felt so at ease; so free of the daily anxiety that haunted her waking and unconscious moments. She'd barely even known Rio when she told him what happened. To say she was shocked would be putting it much too mildly.

Realization hit her hard, the new emotion clear on her face. “You did it to protect her.” This wasn't a question. He shrugged in response and she rolled her eyes.

“Didn't even think you liked her.” Recalling his callous tone towards the little girl in the past.

“She's your daughter.” He offered no other explanation as he crossed his ankles, putting his hands behind his head. He avoided her gaze at all costs even as she lay directly beside him, begging him to look over at her.

“So?” She prodded, fishing for some kind of answer from the stoic man next to her.

“So, I love her.” He turned his back to her, closing his eyes as a headache started to form at the base of his skull. “Get some rest.”

She wanted to resist the order; force herself to stay awake and persist until she forced more information from him. Unfortunately, her body betrayed her and fell into a well deserved, restful sleep.

It was late in the afternoon by the time she cracked one of her dark eyes open. Her room was full of sunlight that streamed in through both of the windows on either side of her bed. Cassidy forced the pain away as she swung her legs over the side of the mattress and got to her feet, almost falling to the floor as her bones protested from sheer agony.

“Take it easy there, Sleeping Beauty.” A voice called from the hallway. Maya set an armful of folded towels down on the end of her bed before hurrying to her side, helping to steady her.

“My stomach feels like it's on fire.” Cassidy rarely complained or made any type of acknowledgment towards an injury, but this was something she'd never experienced before.

“Let me see it.” Maya insisted, her face etched with concern. “There shouldn't be a burning sensation.”

Rio must have been listening in the hallway, because he joined them in the bedroom after his sister's worried tone.

“She ok?” he asked coolly, trying unsuccessfully to appear nonchalant. Maya ignored his question and lifted the younger woman's shirt enough to see the wound. Once she peeled back the soaked bandage, she gasped quietly.

“Well, that doesn't sound good.” Cassidy said, wincing in pain as she examined the laceration further.

Rio muttered something she couldn't make out and walked out of the room, pacing a few rounds in the hallway.

“It's infected. I'll grab some antibiotics from work today and it should clear right up. I can grab you some pain relievers too.” She offered, Cassidy shaking her head violently at the suggestion.

“No, no, thank you. I want to be able to take care of Violet and I don't like how pain killers make me feel. Are you sure you wont get in trouble at work for stealing medicine?”

  
Maya waved her off. “I take them all the time for the guys. 'm very cautious. It'll be ok.” She promised with a reassuring smile. “Come on. Someone is very excited to see you.”

  
Cassidy's eyes lit up as she made her way into the kitchen, her gaze falling on her daughters sweet face immediately.

“Mama.” She cried out, reaching her tiny arms up from her spot on the floor. Her peanut butter sandwich fell abandoned beside her as she flexed her fingers towards her mother.

“Violet. I missed you so much.” Her steps were slow but strong as she fell to the floor beside the two year old and wrapped her up in her arms. Rio watched from the living room, his arms crossed over his chest.

“You can go talk to her, yanno.” Maya said, appearing beside him.

“Yea? And say what?” His eyes flashed towards her angrily.

“Apologize. Sincerely and thoroughly. Nothing about the two of you is ever going to be easy. You both come from such fucked up situations.” She started, her lips curving into a smile as Violet touched her mothers scarred face gently.

“Ouchies, mama?” The little girl asked, her tiny fingers touching the large bruise covering Cassidy's cheek.

“Mommy's ok.” She gave the toddler a reassuring smile before hugging her a little too hard, burying her nose in her daughters hair. She inhaled the scent deeply before turning her attention to the listening siblings across the room.

“Thank you both for everything. We'll be ok now, though.” She smiled weakly, taking her daughters hand and leading her out into the backyard. Enzo ran excitedly across the yard when he saw his owner open the screen door. Violet let out a shrill, playful scream as she met the large husky halfway, wrapping her arms around his large neck.

“I didn't know you had a dog.” Maya said, Rio walking across the lawn ahead of her, crouching down beside Violet. Cassidy turned back towards the door where the older woman stood and nodded.

“Violet's birthday gift from your brother.” She explained, touching her injured stomach briefly, watching the man in question talking to her daughter. The little girl babbled with such elation, her hands moving in a frenzy as she spoke in made up words and sounds.

“What do you think they're talking about?” Maya laughed as Rio nodded quickly in agreement to whatever Violet was attempting to describe.

  
  


He couldn't get over the connection this small child had with her dog. Enzo tolerated every ear pull, every rough pet, every tug on his tail. He sat with his tongue hanging from his mouth, panting as he let Violet rub his fur over and over with her tiny hands.

“You pet.” She insisted, grabbing Rio's hand and placing it on the dogs head, right between his eyes clumsily.

“He's a good dog, aint he, kid?” He smirked, patting the dog a few times gently on the side.

“Good boy.” She agreed with a playful giggle.

“Did you have fun with Briella?” He asked her, remembering how he use to engage with Levi when he was a toddler.

Her eyes lit up at the mention of the young blonde. “Bri Bri.” She nodded excitedly. “Kitty!”

“Ah, yea, I forgot they got a cat over there.” He picked her up in one quick swoop, putting her on his shoulders with ease.

“Mean kitty.” She babbled, patting the top of his head as she looked around from her new perch.

“Cats suck. Stick with dogs, darlin.” He held on to her tiny feet as he walked towards the door where his sister and Cassidy stood.

“Get outta here, Maya. I got it from here.” He said with a tone that would've peeved anyone else. Maya only laughed, punching him in the arm.

“I'll bring the antibiotics over later tonight. The infection is pretty bad, so I don't want to wait any longer then necessary to start you on it.” She explained, grabbing Violets tiny fingers in her hand, shaking them playful as she looked up at the curly headed girl on Rio's shoulders.

“I'll bring Levi over soon to see you, ninita.” She smiled at Violet before showing herself out the way she came.

“You really don't have to stay. I feel fine.” Cassidy said, touching her elbow and holding one arm in front of her body shyly.

“It's weird seeing you like this.” He said suddenly, watching her even as she avoided his gaze.

“Like what?” She asked, looking up at him from under her dark lashes.

“Timid.” He seemed to be searching still for a better word. “Maybe skittish is more accurate.” He said, his lips pressed into a hard frown.

“Mommy has ouchies.” Violet repeated her earlier words from high up on Rio's shoulders.

Cassidy bit the inside of her lip and looked down, ashamed of her daughter seeing her in such a state.

  
“You don't gotta worry about your mama, mija.” Rio said, pulling the small girl down from his shoulders and holding her against his chest.

“I'm gonna take care of her from now on.”

Enzo sat patiently at Cassidy's feet, waiting to be let in or for attention, she didn't know. She gave his ear a soft tug, rubbing it between her fingers gently for something to do.

“She needs to go down for her nap soon.” The subject change wasn't subtle as the young Italian woman reached out for her daughter.

  
“Don't need your stitches openin up and gettin blood everywhere in front of the kid. I'll take her inside. Go sit down.” He ordered gently. “Wanna talk to you about some shit before I leave you alone for the day.” He didn't leave room for her to argue, tickling Violet's legs as he carried her inside. The piercing giggles of her daughter were only muffled when the screen door shut behind them.

She drew in a large gulp of air, the pain much more present now that her head was free of motherly distractions. She took the few steps away from the door towards the patio, sitting down carefully on the wicker love seat that occupied the small, concrete space. She relaxed as best she could, pulling her ashy locks over her shoulder and leaning her head against the arm of the sofa.

She didn't remember closing her eyes, but when she opened them to find the seat beside her occupied, she knew she must've dosed off. She mumbled an apology before sitting up straight, her hand instantly flying to her side, biting her lip to keep from groaning. He reached his hand out on instinct, but brought it back to his side before he let himself touch her.

“What did you want to talk about?” She asked, masking the pain as quickly as she could and pulling her hair over both shoulders to frame her face.

“Think you'll keep the new hair?” He asked, countering her question with one of his own.

She picked up a chunk of waves and examined them between her fingers. “No.” She said quietly. “I don't feel like I know who I am when I look like this. I'm not myself.”

“You aint seem like yourself for a while.” He pointed out, regarding her carefully as he sat with his chin in his hands, elbows resting on his knees beside her.

“It's been quite a year. Had to move across town in the dead of night with an infant, create a new identity, and plan every step I took with the utmost care to stay safe from my father. It might take me a little while to find my way back to who I was when you knew me.” Her voice sad. She was not unaware of the changes he must see in her. Apologetic, cautious, timid. All the things she never was before.

“Don't need to find your way back to who you were. Just gotta be who you are. I'm gonna like whatever version you throw my way.” She had never heard him speaking so candidly before.

“I missed you.” She whispered suddenly, his eyes snapping to hers, positive he must've heard her wrong.

“What?” His eyes narrowed as he watched a single tear escape the corner of her eye before she brushed it away.

“I barely knew you.” She started. “Met you in that rundown apartment building one day. A few run ins at the park or the hospital. Nothing to write home about.”

“That all it was?” He dared, his brows still pulled together in harsh curiosity.

“Is that all it was?” She repeated with a laugh, reminding him just how much he missed that sound. He hadn't heard it in so long.

“Of course that wasn't all it was. One day you were just some guy I worked for, and the next I loved you.” She admitted, rolling her eyes at her own foolishness.

“When?” He interrupted her, his voice gruff with seriousness.

She finally met his gaze, finding it hard to breathe all of a sudden as she tried to explain.

“The night one of Jake's guys broke into my house.” She started, watching his expression to see if he recalled.

  
“I remember.” His jaw clenched in anger at the memory.

“First thing you asked me was if he hurt Violet. I could see the genuine rage in your eyes at the mere thought that he could have.” She continued, biting the inside of her lip. “That's when.” She finished, crossing her arms across her stomach, looking at her feet now instead of his dark brown eyes.

“I was such a dick that day.” He seemed displeased with her answer. She let out another breathy laugh, her face showing a hint of her old, stubborn self.

“You're a dick to me every day.” She was void of judgment, but none the less sad at her own words.

“Wanted to get you away from me. Couldn't go a fuckin weekend without hearin that somethin happened to you. Felt like that was my fault. I got a target on my back every time I leave the house. I didn't want that for you and your kid.”

“How'd that work out for ya?” She sneered, regarding him with annoyance. She was surprised when the corner of his mouth turned up in a grin.

“There she is.” He laughed, patting her thigh once before letting his hand rest there. “Glad to see the fire isn't completely gone.”

“You'll have to excuse me for being a little soft spoken around you.” She snapped, pushing the blonde waves out of her eyes to fall down her back. “I still half expect you to turn around and hurt me.”

He gripped her thigh a little tighter then, knowing he deserved that. “I missed you too.” He managed to exhale.

“I'm sure you found ways to entertain yourself. Fuckin left and right, didn't you use to say?” She fired his old words back, earning another smile for him.

“Nah.” He let his head fall back against the back of the sofa, looking up at the cloudless sky. “Only woman I wanted to fuck changed her name and moved across the city.”  
  
“She didn't have much of a choice.” Her tone lightened, the burning sensation on her abdomen becoming more painful by the minute. She winced as her shirt brushed the injured spot.

“I told Maya to get out of here so I could get a chance to apologize, but I can't figure out what the fuck to say.” He rubbed the back of his neck, watching from the corner of his eye as she pushed her palm against the skin beneath her shirt.

“Have you never apologized to anyone before?” It was the best she could manage to lighten the mood given the last 24 hours.

“Saying I'm sorry doesn't make up for what happened. I held you down.” He was furious with himself.

“I know that.” She whispered, waiting for him to finish.

“You told me not to trust Marco. You let your guard down for a split second and I saw how terrified you were of him. Then, I delivered you to the man you feared the most like it was nothing. You screamed under my hands as he sliced into your skin and I just held you down tighter while you cried.” His fists were clenched in his lap now, his jaw rigid.

“None of that is important to me. My father is dead and I am finally safe for the first time in my entire life. My _entire_ _life_ , Rio.” She enunciated, wanting him to understand the depth of her suffering.   
  
“I never left the house without a healthy amount of fear. Worried he would find me, worried the man he sold me to would come to collect. I was terrified he would find out about Violet. I never slept peacefully, never made any friends, never let myself relax. I knew he was always looking for me. He wasn't going to give up until he had me back. That night I knocked on your door and asked to borrow your baseball bat, I was filled with so much panic thinking that he'd found me.” She turned towards him now, taking his hands from his lap and smoothing his fingers out from their clenched position.

“You did terrible things.” She whispered, nodding her head, wanting him to hear her. She moved her small hands up to cup his cheeks. “It wasn't pleasant by any means, but in the end you saved me.”

“I broke you.” He spat, outraged at her generosity and forgiveness. “I aint save you.” He said, taking her wrists and pulling them away from his face. He held them tightly in his lap.

She tilted her head to the side ever so slightly, regarding him warmly. “Then why am I sitting here with you feeling completely put back together?” She asked.

“Never should've given you that baseball bat. Shoulda told you to fuck off.” He smirked.

“What a boring couple years you would've had without me.” She smiled, pulling one of her hands free and running her fingers lightly across his jaw.

“Aint never gonna let you get hurt like that again. You or that kid.” He vowed, pushing both hands back, threading his fingers through her hair. He grabbed on to the thick waves roughly, pulling her mouth to his and kissing her deeply. She kissed him back for barely a moment before pulling back, their dark eyes locked on one another.

  
“I know you wont.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> love hearing from you all xoxo


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been working on this chapter for a while now. I hope you guys enjoy.

**Chapter Twelve**

Her healing was in no way painless, but as the second full week passed, she was beginning to feel more like herself again. Maya had invited her over for a girls night, something she suspected she'd never done before. They were both incredibly busy women, between working full time and being single mothers, but they finally found themselves free on the same Friday night and decided it was the perfect time to catch up.

“Hey Bri.” Cassidy said, throwing her door open while putting a small silver hoop through her ear. It was just after one o'clock and she'd already put Violet down for her nap.

“Hi Miss De Luca.” She smiled brightly in return. She was missing her usual pink backpack and while the older Italian woman slipped her brown combat boots on, she asked her about it.

“I graduated last month.” She announced proudly, taking a dramatic bow while letting out a laugh.

“That's incredible. I'm so proud of you.” Cassidy said sincerely, wrapping the blonde up in a firm hug.

“You're too sweet. You have a good time with Maya tonight. You deserve it, you work too hard.” She all but pushed Cassidy out the door, playfully warning her that her and Violet would be spending the night eating pizza and ice cream.

She still lived across the city from her friend, so it took a good 45 minutes to make it to her house. It was finally spring in Chicago but even in mid afternoon, it was chilly enough for her to pull the brown leather jacket a bit tighter around herself as she walked up the front steps to the unfamiliar house. It was on a busy street close to the hospital she worked at and Levi was already at the front door, throwing it opened when she reached the top step.

“She's here!” He yelled excitedly to his mom who came up behind him with a laugh.

“Come on in.” The Latina woman greeted warmly, ruffling her sons hair when he shut the door behind their guest.

“Go finish packing your suitcase, buddy. Jess will be here soon to pick you up.” The young boy ran into his room.

“Make yourself at home.” She led her into the living room of the historic three flat, a fire roaring in the corner with a large, dark green sofa in the center of the room.

“I love these old homes in the heart of the city.” Cassidy mused aloud, looking around the comfy room, her eyes admiring the molding along the ceiling.

Maya plopped down beside her new friend on the couch, two wine glasses in one hand and a bottle of red in the other.

“You know, I never thought I would like a house like this. I always loved living in condos and apartments. No yard work, less responsibilities, right up my alley. But then I got the job at the hospital about 5 years ago and my brother suggested I finally buy a place. I instantly fell in love with this house. It has a tiny yard, the perfect size for just the two of us. It's really congested with traffic at all hours of the night which makes me feel safe. Can't beat it.” She smiled, handing the blonde a full glass of sweet red wine before taking a sip from her own.

“You did such an amazing job making it so unique and cozy.” Cassidy looked at the old fashion wooden frames filled with photos. Blankets were stacked in a large canvas basket beside the couch, none of which looked store bought. There was a bookshelf right beside the fireplace that was cluttered but welcoming with paperbacks and assorted art projects made by Levi throughout the years. They were proudly displayed, his mother obviously eager to receive anything hand made by her son.

“Thank you.” She beamed, proud of her hard earned home. “Now, first things first on our official girls night agenda.” Maya's voice sounded with a playfully stern authority. “I figured we could walk up the street to the drug store and buy some hair dye. I could help you get a little piece of yourself back if you wanted.”

Cassidy's mouth hung open slightly, her silence making Maya uneasy.

“Or not, I actually really like the blonde-” The doorbell cut off the older woman's rambling and she bolted off the couch to answer it.

Cassidy took her phone from her pocket when she felt it vibrate against her leg, smiling to herself as a photo of Violet filled her screen. The little girl was pressing a sloppy kiss to Briella's cheek while the woman's eyes closed with elation and love. There was a line of text promising that Violet was in good hands and to stay out as late as she wanted.

“Heather, this is Jess and her son Nathan. I work with her at the hospital.” Maya re-entered the room with a middle aged woman with long blonde hair, a giant bag hanging off her wrist with apparent boredom. The boy beside her was the complete opposite; alive of personality, his eyes an icy blue that filled with excitement when his friend rushed into the living room, suitcase in hand.

“Nice to meet you.” Cassidy greeted politely, any further small talk cut off as Levi and Nathan rambled loudly to each other about a video game they both played.

“You look very familiar.” Jess said, the boys already out on the street, the sound of the car doors closing just loud enough for them to hear inside.

“I must just have that face.” She joked lightly, brushing her hair back from her face as she stood from the couch and walked with the older woman outside. It was such a beautiful day in Chicago, the sidewalk packed with people walking by Maya's house. The boys were chatting excitedly in the car parked out front, the windows down a crack so their voiced carried out.

“She knows my brother too, so she's been by the hospital a few times to see me.” the lie slipped easily from Maya's lips as if she'd done this kind of thing a million times.  
  


“Your brother has friends?” Her tone wasn't insulting at all, the two woman laughing together at the joke.

“Actually, no. Just her.” Maya said, waving to her son as the car disappeared down the block.

Cassidy was flattered by the subtle compliment, and looped her arm through Maya's with an easy familiarity. “Come on.” she urged, pulling her down the street. “Let's go get some hair dye.”

It was still early evening, but the woman were well into their second bottle of wine. Cassidy's head was freezing cold from the hair dye currently saturating her scalp. Maya had drenched it in the dark liquid and clipped it on top of her head while they waited the allotted time.

“So I told him, if he has to ask if I got off, I probably didn't.” Maya howled with laughter as she refilled both their glasses to the brim. Cassidy's eyes were filled with tears as she burst out laughing as well.   
  


“You're not making sex sound very appealing. Maybe I'll just keep abstaining.” Cassidy rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “My hair is soaking wet. When can I rinse it out?” She asked desperately wanting to get warm.

“Abstaining?” Maya shrieked, nearly shattering her glass as she set it down a bit too hard on the coffee table. She stood unsteadily from the couch, going over to the fireplace to start it up again. The room instantly felt a little warmer. Maya picked the discarded box up from the ground, reading the back. “We got another five minutes. Then you can take a shower and rinse it out.”

Cassidy nodded, taking a small sip from her glass so the wine didn't slosh out. Her friend had filled it to the brim. “I've never had sex before.” The alcohol was making her honest. She had to stop from covering her mouth as the words tumbled out.

Maya's eyes flashed with sadness for a moment before she recovered smoothly. “Well, let me tell you, you're not missing much. Not a lot of good men out there who know what woman want.”

“The guy at the coffee shop by my house still can't get my order right. I've gone there every morning for the past year. I have no trouble believing that I'll have a hard time finding a guy worth my time. 2020 just might not be my year." Cassidy laughed, following her friend up the stairs where she was handed a fluffy purple towel and ushered into the bathroom.

“I've dyed my own hair loads of times but this will be my first time doing anyone elses. No sisters, yanno.” She said with a shrug. “If I hear you scream up here, I'll assume I turned your hair pink by mistake.”

“I bet it'll look perfect. You're a good friend.” She said with a smile. Maya staggered her way down the stairs to order a pizza while the younger woman took her time in the shower. The water pressure felt like heaven on her skin as inky water fell down her body to pool at her feet.

Cassidy redressed in her clean clothes, towel drying her hair before descending the stairs.

“I'm a bit too drunk to blow dry it.” Cassidy laughed, finding Maya in the kitchen, shuffling through the fridge.   
  


“I was worried it would be black but it looks a good shade of brown, even wet.” Maya grabbed a bowl of fresh fruit from the fridge and set it on the coffee table in the living room before they sat in their original seats on the couch.

“So, bad sex aside, are you seeing anybody?” The younger woman asked, popping a grape into her mouth.

“I haven't dated anyone for almost a year.” She said with a huff, sinking back into the couch, slightly deflated. “I do have my eye on someone though, but I don't know if they're interested.”

“Who is it?” Cassidy asked, leaning her elbows on her knees with excitement.

“Someone from work. His name's Jax but I can never get more then five minutes alone with him. He works in the ICU so he's always insanely busy.” the doorbell paused their conversation, Maya heading towards the sound while Cassidy stayed in the other room. A moment just a bit too long passed and Cassidy rose from the couch slowly. Instead of going to the front door to meet her friend, she went to the kitchen where she knew there was another exit.

She knew she was probably over reacting but she couldn't stop herself. She padded silently into the kitchen, peering out the small window to see a single car parked out front. She instantly knew something was wrong. No one delivering pizza had the sleek, luxury sports car that sat against the curb. The windows were tinted and there wasn't a speck of dirt to be seen. It was just after 10 pm but the street in front of Maya's house was still mildly busy. Whoever was here would need to be invited inside, and since Maya still hadn't returned to the living room, she could only assume she was stalling.

Cassidy slipped through the back door soundless, her cellphone already at her ear. She'd dialed Rio immediately but it went right to voicemail. She quickly called Demon, walking deeper into the backyard as she kept her eyes on the house. She ducked behind the large oak tree in the corner of the lot, her voice a hushed whisper when he finally picked up.

“What?” His voice gruff and laced with sleep. She heard another voice in the background but did her best to ignore the questions that raised in her mind.

“Jeez, aren't you chipper this time of night.” She said, looking around the large, peeling trunk as Maya finally came into her line of site. She walked into the living room oddly slow, a tall, muscular man behind her. Cassidy watched as he looked around her home, running his fingers along the fireplace picture frames she'd admired herself just moments ago.

  
“I'm chipper all the time. What's goin on?” His voice was a bit more awake now, the sound of a creaking bed filling the void in the background.

“I'm at Maya's house and there's a man here.” The alcohol was still drumming through her veins, her head slightly muddled.

“You call the boss?” She heard a door shut and then a car starting.

“Straight to voicemail.” She answered, only giving half of her attention to the man on the phone. The other part of her was watching the newcomer inside Maya's house closely. He looked to be about 60 with only one of his arms tattooed completely. Each piece of art looked to be a different depiction of a cross. It was oddly mesmerizing.

“What's the guy look like? Did you see him?” She knew Demon was driving towards the house but she still felt miles away from anyone else.

“I'm watching him right now. I snuck out the back door. He's older, with a sleeve tattoo of Jesus crosses I think. Hard to say, I'm a little drunk.” She admitted, leaning her head against the tree as it got heavier with each passing moment.

“That's impossible.” Demon snapped. She could almost see his hands tightening around the steering wheel.

Cassidy gasped suddenly, the phone dropping to the grass as she watched the man inside wrap his thick hand around Maya's neck.

“This is a mistake” She muttered to herself, pushing her fingers through her hair as she felt her feet carry her closer to the house at a quick pace. “This is a stupid thing you're doing right now.” She continued whispering to herself, sliding through the glass door without so much as a click of sound.

She heard Maya's broken gasps for air in the other room but she had to be smart. If she got herself hurt, she couldn't help Maya. She grabbed a large steak knife from the block on the kitchen counter before making her way back around to the living room thresh hold. The man's back was to her, his body hovering over Maya as he held her to the ground with one meaty hand. Before she could think of a more articulated plan, she glided into the room until she was directly behind the man. She could tell he was about to turn around as he rose up to his full height, but before he could, she crouched down and swept the tip of the blade across the back of both his ankles, his body crumpling to the floor instantly. She tossed the knife a good distance away before running towards Maya and helping her sit up.

“Call Christopher.” She squeaked, her voice broken as she clawed at her reddening throat.

“Shh, it's ok. Demon's on his way here.” As if her words had summoned him, the towering dark skinned man burst through the front door, gun drawn at eye level.

“Is she ok?” He directed his question to Cassidy but his eyes never left the man who was audibly growling on the floor.

He was bleeding profusely from both ankles, unable to stand and biting his own knuckles to keep from screaming out in pain.

“I'm going to kill you for this.” He finally screamed, twisting his body towards Cassidy. Spit was flying from his mouth as he threatened her, seemingly unafraid of Demon's weapon.

“Don't talk to her, you piece of shit.” Demon shouted, walking closer until he was staring down at the man, directly beside him now. “You know better then to come around here. Rio made it explicit, you aren't to come near his sister.”

“His sister?” He howled, his voice booming with authority as he laughed. “She's _my_ daughter! I can see her any god damn time I want.”

Cassidy felt herself sober with each passing minute, forcing her head to clear as she helped Maya stand up. She led the older woman outside, letting the screen door slam shut behind them. It was pitch black outside, the small porch light doing very little to illuminate the space.

“Are you ok?” Maya asked, her hand still touching her own throat as she looked Cassidy over for any signs of injury.

“I'm fine. Just a little too drunk for this type of situation.” She joked, rubbing her friends back. “So that's your father, huh?”

Maya didn't get a chance to answer, the two of them interrupted by an engine roaring from down the block.

“That'll be my brother.” Maya said, pushing her fingers into her temple. Less then a minute later, his black sports car pulled up against the curb, his door opening and slamming shut seconds later.

“He touch you?” He bellowed, pointing his finger at Maya as he stormed angrily across the lawn.

“It's not as bad as it looks.” She tried to pacify him, pulling her shoulder forward in a failed attempt to hide her neck. Rio looked at her throat, the skin black and blue with finger shaped bruises clearly etched into her skin.

“I'll fuckin kill him.” He seethed, touching the side of his sisters neck carefully before looking over at Cassidy.

“What are you doin here?” His voice even harsher now, stepping away from his sister and moving towards the younger woman. He looked back at Maya briefly. “He see her?” His dark brown orbs were wild now, thoughts whirling behind his eyes. Maya nodded, backing up a few paces to sit on the wicker chair she had on the edge of her porch, her head in her hands.

“You ok?” He looked her over and stepped into her space, holding both sides of her neck tenderly. “He put his hands on you?” His eyes narrowed and full of rage. Cassidy shook her head confidently, hoping to calm him down before he walked inside.

“She's the one who got him off me.” Maya explained, earning her brothers gaze from across the porch. “Never seen a man that size drop so fast.”

Rio looked back down at the woman in his arms, bringing his hands from her neck up to her face.

  
“Good girl.” He whispered, his voice full of pride. He stared into her eyes for a bit longer, a smile on his face before he pressed his lips against her forehead. Her hair was still dripping wet down her shoulders when Maya came up to stand at her side.

“I'm so sorry you got dragged into all this shit. We were meant to have a relaxing girls night together and my drama ruined it.” Cassidy could see how embarrassed the older woman was. She got the impression that Maya didn't let many people into her life and she considered herself honored to be accepted so easily into that exclusive club.

Rio pressed another hard kiss against Cassidy's temple before passing by his sister, squeezing her hand gently as he stepped up to the house. He kicked the door open with all the force he could muster and stormed inside.

“Please, don't apologize. I am so grateful to call you a friend. I don't care what kind of baggage you come with, I want to be here to help you through it.” She hugged her friend in a vice like grip as she shook with sobs.

“I don't know how he managed to get out of jail.” She cried, soaking Cassidy's shirt. “It's been years since I've seen him. When I opened the door I thought I might pass out from the fear.” She admitted. Demon passed through the front door and marched over to the pair. His knuckles were dripping with blood and a smear of it made its way across his cheek.

“Come on, honey.” The dark skinned man beckoned out for Maya with the look of a concerned older brother. “Boss told me to take you somewhere safe.” He held his arm out for her to step into, wrapping it around her protectively when she finally did. Her mouth opened with a question poised on her tongue but snapped shut soon after Demon spoke the answer.

“We'll pick up Levi on the way.” He promised, leading her to large truck parked against the curb.

Cassidy waved to her friend and waited outside, watching them drive away. She heard muffled shouts coming from inside the house, debating with herself whether or not to go inside. Her hand was hovering over the doorknob when Rio pushed it open. He hauled her in, his hand tight around her scarred forearm.

She hissed, wrenching her arm away reflexively. “Careful.” She reminded gently, his eyes softening instantly, anger draining away as he looked at her.

“Sorry, baby.” He whispered, pulling both of her hands together and bringing them up to his lips. He pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles before releasing her. “I see you got tipsy with my sister and changed your hair.” He smirked, grabbing a chunk of the damp locks between his fingers, tugging lightly.

“Is she gonna be ok? She was so afraid.” Cassidy revealed, letting Rio pull her down into his lap when he collapsed against the couch she'd been sitting on just a few minutes earlier with Maya. She sunk into his body with unexpected ease, dropping her head against the side of his neck as his arm snaked around her waist, holding her close.

“I took care of it.” He whispered against her hair. She nuzzled closer against his throat when his arm tightened around her as he continued. “I should've killed him years ago, but I thought it was too much of a kindness. Maya and Levi will stay at my place tonight while my crew handles the body here.” He explained, his voice hard, void of emotion.

“Rio.” She uttered his name with sadness, her words muffled against his neck. She placed a soft kiss on the warm skin there before raising her head to look him in the eye. He held her gaze fiercely, cupping her cheek while he watched her lips move. “Tell me how to help you. Briella would love having Violet for a few days. You don't have to handle everything alone anymore.” Her chocolate colored eyes shone clearly in the dark room, now glazed over with unshed tears.

“Why don't you take a bag for Maya and Levi and stay with them at my crib tonight. Then I can handle all this shit and know y'all are safe.” Cassidy nodded, moving her knees to straddle either side of his thighs, his hands hot on her waist. She looked up at him from under her dark lashes, taking in his handsome face before it dipped down, capturing her bottom lip between his teeth. She sighed into his mouth lazily, running her hands up his hard chest beneath his t-shirt. He wrapped one arm around her waist and flipped her in one fluid motion. Her back slammed flat against the couch, Rio hovering above her carefully as she let out a small, feminine laugh.

“We gotta get you back to the south side. Hate you and Violet livin so far away. If somethin happened to you, it would take half an hour for me to get there.” He trailed a single finger down her throat, his eyes never leaving hers even as her breathing quickened.

“I feel guilty for moving Violet around so much. I'm going to stay put where I'm at until I'm sure I wont need to run again.” She explained, pushing his shirt up slightly so she could run her hands over the hard muscles straining against his stomach. Her eyes stayed on his even as her fingers danced across the warm skin of his abdomen. “I can take care of myself. You don't need to worry about anything happening to me at home.”

Rio shook his head before lowering himself. His lips slanted over hers as he held himself up to keep from crushing her still healing body. “Can't tell me not to worry about ya. You don't get to decide that kind of shit, darlin.” He pushed her hair back to fall over the side of the couch before dragging his lips against hers once again.

“Can't help that I love you. Told you from the beginnin that I protect what's mine. I want you and Violet close. You're clear across the city, Cassidy.” He urged, pressing his body gently against hers, pulling her thigh up against his hip as he did so.

“I didn't want to move.” She reminded him, hitching her other leg up until she had him locked in place between her thighs. His lips trailed soft bites down her neck, his teeth grazing over her collarbone as she spoke. “I loved my little house.”

“I know.” He hummed against her lips, kissing her for long drawn out moments in the dark, intimate space. “Just think about it. I want my girls close to me.”

She dragged her fingernails down his stomach, earning a husky moan from the man above her. He dropped his head down to the side of hers, his breathe hot against her ear. “The things I want to do to you..” He trailed off, biting her ear as she inhaled sharply, heat pooling between her legs.

“We probably shouldn't do those things on your sisters couch with a dead body in the next room.” She joked, pushing against his chest. She shimmied out from underneath him when they heard a collection of car doors slam shut outside.

“Fair enough.” He righted himself, watching her take the stairs two at a time towards Mayas room. She packed a small bag of essentials for her friend and her son before jogging back to the living room. She had the simple brown backpack across one shoulder as she headed for the front door.

Cassidy's hair had dried fully now on its own, the dark waves hanging freely around her shoulders in thick, messy layers. She found Rio by her car talking to a tall, scrawny looking kid. Walking around them wordlessly, she tossed the bag into the passenger seat and opened the drivers side door.

“This is my girl, Cassidy.” She stopped when she heard her name. “You don't let her out of your sight. She'll be stayin with Maya at my place tonight.” He explained, earning a sharp nod from the young kid.

“I don't need a babysitter.” She said, a bite in her words as she pulled her hair back into a high ponytail. He laughed in response, opening the door wider for her, gently pushing her inside. “If I want to hire a babysitter, I'll hire a goddamn babysitter. He's on my payroll.” He smiled at her, warning in his eyes.

He turned back to the house only to be stopped soon after by her sharp response. “Hey.” She barked, beckoning him back over to the car with a single finger.

Rio smirked, taking his time retracing his steps. He leaned in through her open window easily, their eyes locked with combined intensity. “You better not be gettin ready to fire off that smart mouth of yours. Just tryin to make sure you and my sister are safe at the house until I get there."

"You have no idea what my smart mouth is capable of." She smiled, twisting the front of his shirt in her fist and pulling him further into the car. He ducked his head in slowly, meeting her heated kiss with ease.

"Whatcha need then, darlin?" He asked, running his finger down her jawline.

"You said you loved me earlier." She whispered, letting go of his shirt and trailing that same hand down his powerful arm.

He watched wordlessly as her eyes flashed to his, waiting for her to elaborate.

"I know what I said." He replied, urging her to go on.

"Hope you're not going off on all these dangerous jobs without knowing I love you too." She breathed, her voice soft. She chewed at her bottom lip nervously, eyeing him shyly after her confession.

"Cassidy." He sigh, drawing her name out slowly with relief. Hearing those words fall from her lips did powerful things to his heart. "You aint gotta say that. Not after all the shit I did to you." Rio's arm was already through the window, holding his large hand against her soft cheek.

"I love you, Rio." She repeated the words confidently this time. "Whether you think you deserve it or not, I do." She promised, turning her head to kiss the inside of his wrist tenderly. "Just let me." she begged, reaching up to cover the hand still cradling her face.

"Then be safe and don't give Kev a hard time for followin ya. Man's just doin' his job." He teased, brushing a final kiss across her lips before stepping back from the car.

"I'll take care of your sister tonight." Cassidy shifted her car into reverse, ready to make the short drive to his place.

"I know you will, Angel." He watched from the front lawn as her and Kevin peeled off the curb, their cars disappearing down the dark, city streets.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

"Briella is so excited to have Violet for a whole weekend. Which means you're stuck with me for the next few days." Cassidy joked, handing her friend a fresh ice pack from the freezer before taking a seat beside her on the couch. Maya smiled her thanks, pressing the cold compress against her injured neck. Levi was fast asleep in the spare bedroom, the two women wide awake even as the clock above the fireplace showed it was close to midnight.

"I hope Chris comes home soon." The older woman said. "I know I'm the younger sibling and he feels responsible for me. I hate not being able to help him with this kind of thing. He killed his own father, how do you walk away from something like that without a little piece of you dying inside?" She looked towards her friend with sadness in her eyes.

"I don't know your brother as well as you do, but I think he would gladly take the consequences of living with what he's done if it means keeping you and his nephew safe." Cassidy's words brought a small smile to Maya's lips.

"He's always taken such good care of us." She smiled at the memories. "Such good care of _me_. Even when we were kids, he was fighting my battles so I didn't have to. Bullies at school, angry boyfriends, our father. He took every hit so I didn't have to. I'd get caught sneaking in late at night and Mario would be so furious, his fist high in the air ready to strike me down. Somehow Christopher always appeared, standing right in front of me to take the punch. I just hate that no one will ever understand what a good man he is because they can't look past his job." Maya looked down at her hands, picking at her nails in her lap for something to do.

Cassidy reached over, her olive skinned hand covering her friends and stilling her nervous fidgeting. Maya looked up at the younger woman with shining eyes.

" _I_ know what a good man he is." Cassidy promised simply, her voice firm with the confidence in her words.

"We should try and get some rest. I told Levi I'd take him out for breakfast in the morning." They both stood up, Maya wrapping the petite, Italian woman in a tight hug.

"Christopher is so lucky to have met you." Maya said said from the spare bedroom doorway. "I know you were apart for a year when everything happened with Marco, but my brother never stopped worrying about you. He ran himself into the ground doing everything he could to get closer to Marco. Took jobs that nearly destroyed him just to earn his trust. I hope nothing ever separates you two like that night did. What he did was inexcusable; ignoring your fear and getting into business with that monster. But _fuck_ , Cassidy." Maya shook her head, a dry laugh of disbelief escaping her throat uninvited. "He loves you so god damn much."

Cassidy's feet felt like stone as she stood, unmoving, on the first step of the wooden staircase, her full attention on Maya. She chewed the inside of her cheek, gathering her words and pushing the painful tears down as the memories of their year of distance flooded her brain.

"I never want to be that far away from him again." She whispered truthfully, nodding assuredly at her friend before taking the rest of the stairs up to the second story. She stood at the landing, looking towards the second spare bedroom to her left for a long moment before turning in the other direction. She wasn't sure how Rio would react to her invading his space, but she didn't have any clothes with her for the night.

Cassidy pushed the door open slowly, taking the time to shut it securely behind her before fully taking in the surprisingly warm space. An expansive, king sized bed took up the center of the room, the simple dark, oak headboard resting against the main wall. A solid, dark blue comforter was draped over silk, gray sheets that looked so inviting after the events she'd experienced that day.

She ran her fingers lightly over the bedding as she passed, taking in the identical tables on either side of the bed and matching dresser on the opposite wall. There were two leather chairs near the over-sized window to her left and an attached bathroom she found herself walking timidly into.

A large, glass shower took up most of the room, a rain shower head positioned in the center of the space. Two sinks were near the entrance of the room, nearly bare with only the essentials on the adjoined counter top. She felt like an intruder as she looked around the intimate room. However, this didn't stop her from bravely opening the top drawer of his bureau and grabbing the first folded shirt from the top of the neatly stacked piles.

One a.m was drawing nearer, but she still found herself too wound up to rest. Hoping a shower would help relax her enough to sleep, she turned the faucet on as the pipes roared to life. She pushed her jeans down over her hips and tugged her shirt off in a single, fluid motion. She folded them haphazardly, setting them on the counter when the sound of the bedroom door stopped her motions.

She opened the bathroom door and peeked around the side of it. "Maya?" She called out in a loud whisper. She walked fully out of the bathroom now, crossing her arms over her exposed stomach as she stepped into the bedroom once again. She had a pair of lace, black panties on with a mismatched dark green bra.

"You plannin on taking a shower with my sister or just tryin to scar me for life?" The familiar rough voiced called from the leather chair on the other side of the room.

"You're back." She said dumbly, further words escaping her as the relief flooded her body.

He looked over his shoulder briefly, his eyes zeroing in on the bright red letters on her belly. He snapped his attention back towards the window quickly, the sight of her permanent injuries doing terrible things to his heart.

"Somethin' wrong with the spare room across the hall?" He asked, his voice harsh as the words sliced through her. She physically recoiled, her lip trembling as she tried to find the words to speak.

"Well?" He barked, giving her no time at all to gather a response. He shot up from his seat so fast that she quickly bowed her head and pressed her back against the wall so she was as far out of his way as possible.

He'd been prepared to storm over to her and unload the paralyzing day he'd had, but seeing her reaction stopped him before he could take a single step. He braced one hand on the arm of the smooth leather, gripping his fingers around it tightly as he inhaled. He looked across the room to see her chin tipped down to her chest, avoiding his eyes, and her back straight against the wall like a woman steeling herself for a strike. Her hair hung over her shoulder, shielding part of her face. The side that was visible to him had a wet trail staining her tanned cheek. Her arms were wrapped so tightly around her stomach, her body shaking slightly from fear or from chill, he couldn't tell.

"You look like I'm about to hit ya, Cassidy." He snapped, his eyes narrowed in anger at the idea that she could think such a thing. The space between them seemed so vast as they stayed on opposite sides of the room, her head still turned downwards at the floor cautiously.

She chanced a look up, her eyes locking with his immediately. They were overflowing with tears at this point, falling in silent ribbons to land at her feet. "You sound like you really want to." She took her bottom lip between her teeth it keep it from trembling.

He gripped the chair arm tighter, reigning in his anger from the last few hours that she knew nothing about. "You think I'd do somethin like that to you?" His eyes hard on hers.

"Would you?" She countered his question with her own, holding her arm at the elbow to hide her body further from his gaze.

"There's a bathroom down the hall. Take a shower and get some sleep. My sister wants us all to get breakfast in a few hours." He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger, sinking into the recliner, effectively dismissing her with his back.

He didn't hear her move, but when he looked back over his shoulder, she was dressed in her jeans and a dark red hoodie. He watched as she placed one of his shirts neatly on top of his dresser. He faced the window again, pulling his fingers inward towards his eyes now as he waited for the sound of the door, signaling her exit. Before it came, her soft, unsteady voice filled the space, barely loud enough for him to hear.

"I shouldn't have come into your bedroom. That was rude of me and I'm sorry." He heard the door open, turning around to reply before she could step through the thresh hold.

"I asked you to look out for my sister until I got home, not nose around my room." She nodded her understanding as he continued to berate her.

He was on his feet again, meeting her across the room in a few long strides, slamming his hand against the door beside her head, effectively closing it and boxing her in. He watched her jaw clench, her body stiff in front of his.

"You're right." She continued to nod in agreement. "You're home now and you're sister is safe downstairs. I'll head out." She reached behind her back for the doorknob, her eyes looking past his shoulder instead of meeting his stare.

"What did you think was gonna happen when I got back and found you in my bed? Did you think I'd _want_ that after the day I've had?" He craned his head to the side to catch her eyes. She finally gave in, defeated, and met them with her own shiny brown ones.

She shrugged, crushed further with every word he spoke. "Guess I was hoping you'd slide in beside me. Wrap me up in your arms and tell me how much you love me." She brought her shoulder forward, wiping her cheek against it with a joyless smile.

"Just because we kiss a couple times doesn't mean I wanna play house with you the rest of my life." His voice had an edge to it, the words harsh as they left his mouth and hit her right in the gut. Words escaped her as she processed what he was saying, unable to do anything but carry on nodding her head . When she finally found the words, she stood taller then she had all night, raising her chin confidently for the first time and meeting his hard stare.

"You're so afraid of me." She said, pity evident in her voice although anger easily overpowered it.

"Careful." He warned, his face close to hers as he tensed his jaw with restraint and covered her hand with his one the doorknob. He twisted it and shoved the door open, Cassidy catching herself before she fell backwards. Her conversation with Maya replayed in her mind, strengthening her resolve as she stood tall out in the hallway. She opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind before the sound of booming footsteps drew both their attentions towards the stairs. Maya appeared, disheveled from her incredibly short lived rest, waving her cell phone in front of her. She stormed over to Rio, shoving him back by the shoulders until he was in the middle of his bedroom, Cassidy staring in at them from her spot in the hall.

"Veronica? Really, Christopher?" Maya exclaimed, shoving her index finger into his chest angrily. "We agreed you wouldn't sleep with people I work with."

Cassidy felt her chest tighten, shoving her hands deep into the pockets of her hoodie and giving her full attention to her own bare feet against the hardwood floor. She felt Rio's gaze but she couldn't bring herself to meet it.

"It's been one hell of a day, Maya. Can we do this later?" He asked, still looking at Cassidy over his sisters shoulder.

"I was nearly strangled by Mario in the middle of my own living room. Don't tell me you've had a hard day." She continued, her voice growing louder with every breath.

"I'm aware of what happened. I'm the one who handled it like always." He bit back, running his hand over the stubble on his chin with exhaustion.

"He wasn't even there for me. He was there for her." Maya said, pointing towards her friend in the hallway without ever tearing her eyes away from her brother.

"You think I don't know that?" His voice was booming now, his eyes like fire on his younger siblings. "Everyone's going to be after her now that words out! Why do you think I put the moves on your friend in a crowded bar for everyone to see? Every job I work, I got some asshole tellin me they are gonna take her. So, don't stand there and act like you know a damn thing about the shit I have to deal with."

Maya didn't have a chance to respond before Cassidy's voice filled the space.

"I was standing right in front of you. You could've told me what was bothering you instead of saying whatever you could think to hurt me." She offered weakly, refusing to come into the room. She felt much more comfortable out in the hallway with a few feet of space between them. "Did you sleep with some random girl just to make me hate you?"

"People hook up all the time without it meaning shit. Just because no one wants to fuck you doesn't mean-" He cut himself off when her eyes shot up from the floor, disarming him with the pain they showed.

She smiled sadly, crossing her arms over her chest and refusing to break his gaze.

"Your eyes flash when you do that, you know?" She explained sadly, the words still sitting low in her stomach with a heaviness that made her feel like she might be sick. "Whenever you say something disgusting like that to me, your eyes do this thing where they almost change color for a second. It's like your body is physically rejecting the words."

"Cassidy." He started, moving his sister gently to the side and taking a single step towards the younger woman before stopping. The dark haired girl held her hand up to stop him from coming any closer.

"You don't have to do it, yanno." She said with a sniff, swiping the top of her hand under her nose. "You don't have to make it so mean and spiteful and _so_ _incredibly painful_ for me." She was almost begging him to put her out of her misery. "Shoot me a quick text that you don't want to see my face ever again and I'll disappear. We both know I'm really good at that." She couldn't bring herself to hear his response, choosing instead to fly down the stairs, stopping only to grab her shoes at the front door.

"If you let her leave again, she's never coming back." Maya whispered, still fuming with anger at his despicable behavior.

"Fuck." He swore, tearing down the stairs after her just as the front door was closing. He ripped it back open and followed her down the porch steps.

"Word travels fast when a gang leader gets himself attached. You could get killed." He spoke to her back. Even though she stopped walking, she couldn't bring herself to turn around.

"You ever think that maybe you're someone I'd want to fight the hard battles next to? Make the tough decisions to be with? Hell, risk my life for? You ever think you just might be that man to me? Or am I just so unbelievably stupid that I can't make those choices for myself? Do you think I'm so naive that I need you to beat me down until I run away from you?"

She turned around to face him, her eyes like steel on his. She was too resilient to be treated this way, and it was about time she showed him just how strong she could be.

"You think I deserve to be hurt like this by you?" She whispered, looking across a good six feet of space at him.

"I just want you _safe_. You have a daughter. What if somethin happened to her because I was too selfish to let you go?" He closed the space between them and wrapped her hands up in his. She tried to pull them away but he held on gently, pulling her towards him even more.

  
"This isn't some shit I can walk away from. This is the life I signed up for. Got a lot of enemies, mami. And they're all pretty interested in gettin their hands on you now." He brought her hands up to his lips, kissing her knuckles gently even as she continued to pull against his touch. "Don't want you fightin the hard battles next to me. And I _definitely_ don't want you riskin your life. You and Violet should get as far away from me as you can."

"I looked you in the eyes and told you I loved you only a few hours ago. Now you want me gone forever. What happened?" Her eyes narrowed at him harshly.

"The things I have to hear them say about you, Cassidy, _fuck_!" He exclaimed, pacing a few steps before turning back to her, running his hand over the top of his head in frustration.

  
"I had one of my fathers lackeys look me dead in the eye today and tell me he was coming for you because of what I did to his boss."

"You're lying." She whispered, knowing there had to be more. "Tell me, word for word, what he really said to make you this afraid."

Rio's hands were in tight fists at his sides, the words running through his head on a loop the past four hours.

"He said he was going to shove his dick so far up your ass, you'd bleed to death. Then, he'd leave your naked corpse on my doorstep." He repeated through his teeth, the words like poison on his tongue. He was almost afraid to look at her, but when he finally did, he was surprised to find a sad smirk on her face.

"I've heard worse things said directly to my face with a guys hand on my ass while riding home on the blue line." She replied somberly as her own memories came to the forefront of her brain.

"I'm not sure if you've been living under a rock your entire life, but it's not exactly safe simply _existing_ as a woman." She explained, her arms still crossed in front of her chest as she stared him down. "You seem to think that if some man wants to shove his dick up my ass, he just _gets_ to." Rio found the fear induced anger leaving his body, replaced with beaming pride as she continued.

"I like to think you love me enough to protect me when you can-" He interrupted her immediately with confidence.

"I do." He promised vehemently.

She nodded her understanding. "But you also need to know that if there's ever a moment where you can't protect me, that doesn't mean I'm going to show up naked and dead on your porch. Give me some credit. I'm not some innocent little girl who needs your constant vigilance. I am very capable of protecting myself when you can't be there. I'm the same girl who murdered two men in your apartment that day and then went out and got tacos from down the street without a second thought. This isn't a them against you situation."

She finally allowed herself to reach up and take his face in her hands. "It's them against _us,_ and I think we can take em." She promised, a smirk on her lips.

"If somethin' happens to that kid? You think I could live with myself?" He asked, turning his head to kiss her palm even with anger raging behind his eyes.

"If anyone tried to touch my daughter, I'd kill them." She said evenly, her tone alone proving her more then capable of protecting her family.

"Being underestimated is your advantage, I remember." He said, repeating her words from long ago.

"I thought you of all people would know that by now." She answered back sadly.

"Guess you'll have to keep remindin me. I aint as smart as you." He joked, reaching down to take her hand.

"Come back inside." He pleaded, pulling her gently towards the door.

She shook her head and yanked her arm away roughly. "I looked after your sister while you were gone like you asked. I don't want to sleep in your guest room, I want to go home." Her voice losing all its fight as she stood there, defeated and exhausted. She fished her keys out from her back pocket as she walked down the driveway to the curb where her car was parked.

"Cassidy-" He followed her down the gravel path, cutting off his own words when she turned around sharply to face him. He stopped walking just in time to avoid crashing into her.

"You said you loved me and then fucked someone else. Now you want me to sleep in your guest room and be happy with whatever scraps of affection you throw my way?" She shook her head, answering her own question. "No. I'm not be that girl. I said all of those things to let you know I'm capable of protecting myself and my daughter."

She opened her car door and slumped down in the drivers seat, her eyes heavy with fatigue.

"You're job isn't whats making me go back home. We could've handled those threats together. The way you screamed at me earlier is why I'm leaving." She started the ignition, shifting the car into reverse as she continued to talk through her open window.

"You asked me before if I thought you were capable of hitting me. I've never been afraid of you, not even with your gun to my head." Tears filled her eyes unwarranted and she blinked them away swiftly.

"I was afraid of you tonight up in your bedroom. The way you shouted at me, for a second I really thought you might hit me." Her voice lowered to a whisper as his mouth snapped shut in visible pain at her honesty.

"Get out of this car, _now_." He seethed, his anger fully at himself, none towards her. Everything she said was spot on, and he wasn't letting her leave this time. He couldn't do another year away from her. He'd die before he let that happen.

"I want to go home, Rio. I'm so tired." She begged, leaning her forehead on the steering wheel. When she finally raised her head, he was seated beside her in the passenger seat, leaning across the console to rip the keys from the ignition.

"You listen up good, sweetheart. Did a lot of shit to you these past few years. Said some hurtful things and for that I'm real sorry, you have my word." He tossed the keys carelessly to the ground before gathering her small body up in his arms, a task not made easy by the compact area of her Ford Focus. None the less, he pulled her across the cramped space until she was rested in his lap, her back against the door, her feet stretched out across the center console. She didn't know if she wanted to put up a fight or if she was just too exhausted to as the sun began to rise in front of them, bringing morning with it.

"I aint never gonna put my hands on you like that. Not even on my worst fuckin day." He vowed, tipping her chin up tenderly until she was looking at him, mere inches between them. "I'd also never sleep with any of my sisters slutty friends."

Before the woman in front of him could speak, he explained himself further.

"Veronica's been tryin to latch herself onto me for years. Uses Maya as an excuse to talk to me all the time. She put her hand on my leg and a few guys were around, so I let her. Figured if word got out that I was fuckin around, you'd be a little safer. Took her out to my car and people assumed what they're gonna assume."

"I'm sure it'd be nice to have a naked woman on top of you that isn't covered in scars." She whispered, her voice laced with exhaustion.

"You think I give a shit about that?" He asked, his brows pulled together.

"I saw the way you looked at me in your bedroom." She pressed her back further against the window, turning to face him more fully. "I know it's quite the eyesore." She said with a defeated shrug.

"You're out of your god damn mind." He snapped back, cupping her face in his strong hands. "I was disgusted with the sight of it because I'm the reason you got sliced up in the first place. It fuckin kills me to look at it and remember what I did. Still aint nothin in this world that could dull how fuckin beautiful you are." He enunciated every word, wanting her to really hear him.

"I've given you a few scars too." She whispered, grabbing one of his hands and bringing it down from her face, resting it gently in her lap. She examined the tan skin carefully, running her fingers tenderly over the scar near his knuckle.

"Aint even close to bein the same thing." He said, watching as her hands moved over his skin. "I deserved that one."

"Levi will be up soon wondering where his uncle is. I'd really like to go home and get some rest." She brought his hand up to her lips, kissing the thin white scar slowly.

"We got a few hours before that kid wakes up. You can barely keep your eyes open, sweetheart. Come on back upstairs with me." His voice held the same rough edge she found hard to resist.

"You don't want to play house with me, remember?" She fired back, climbing with ease over to the drivers seat.

"We both know that's bullshit. Nothin I want more then to climb into bed with you every damn night you'll let me." She was surprised at the candid emotion that fell from his lips, but she found herself too tired to fight any more.

"If you expect me to be my usual charming self, I need at least an hour of rest before we get breakfast with your family." She conceded, following him out of the car, her feet dragging up the steps lazily.

"Its almost 4. Think we can get a little more then that if we're lucky." He smiled, pushing his bedroom door open and walking inside. When she didn't follow, he took two steps back to see her pushing the guest room door open.

"I'll see you in a few hours with Levi and your sister. I still need to take a shower." She didn't even make it a step in the door before his arms wrapped around her waist from behind and pulled her back against his chest tightly.

"Then get those clothes off and take one with me." He whispered, his breath hot against her ear.

She looked over her shoulder, leaning further into the hardness of his chest. "Promise me you're done hurting me. Tell me you wont wake up tomorrow and try to push me out of your life again." He opened his mouth but she cut him off. "Even if you think it would be safer for me. You have to let me make up my own mind."

"My little badass." He smirked into the side of her neck, placing hot, open mouth kisses against her warm skin.

"Am I even?" She asked quietly, her head falling back against his chest as he trailed kisses down to her shoulder. "Yours, I mean?"

"I fuckin hope so." He laughed against her shoulder, nipping at her skin playfully. "Been in my damn head every day since I met ya." He confessed, his arm fully around her waist, his hand flat against her stomach as it crept up her shirt.

She turned around in his arms and slid her hands down his back. "No funny business in the shower. I need my beauty sleep." She teased, letting him take her hand and pull her into his bedroom.

He kicked the door shut, watching with a predatory smirk as she walked towards his attached bathroom, her hoodie already on the floor behind her. He ripped his shirt off and followed her, leaning in to turn on the tap.

She had already shimmied her way out of her jeans, standing against the counter in her mismatched bra and panties. Her arms wrapped themselves around her middle again before Rio stepped into her space. He pulled her hands away, holding them at her sides before he dropping to his knees.

Cassidy stared down at him as he pressed his lips carefully against each letter etched into her belly. His eyes rose to meet her gaze, his mouth still hot against her skin.

"I'll kill anyone who puts their hands on you again." He whispered, sweeping his hands up her body as he got to his feet until they were on either side of her neck. The room was quickly filling up with steam, the air heavy around them.

"Lets get a move on with this shower so I can get some sleep." She smiled, pushing up on her toes until she could press her lips against his.

"Say no more." He smirked, dipping down to wrap his arms around her knees, hauling her over his shoulder easily. She let out a small shriek of surprise, smacking her hand against his back.

"I can walk, Rio." She laughed before another scream escaped her throat. He deposited her back on her feet in the center of his large, glass shower. Her lingerie was soaked instantly and sticking to her olive skin. Rios jeans were heavy with water against his legs as he watched her press her back against the cold wall to avoid the spray.

"Couldn't let me get my clothes off first before tossing me in here?" She said with feigned anger, pouting at him from the opposite side of the shower.

"I'm gonna bite that lip if you don't knock it off." He threatened, closing the space between them and pressing her into the wall. The water beat down against his muscular back, his body covering hers as he attacked her mouth with a playful smirk. He bit down on her full, bottom lip affectionately before pushing his hands into her panties and ripping them down her legs.

Cassidy kicked them to the corner of the shower and hitched her leg up against his hip. He squeezed her thigh roughly, catching the moan that escaped her lips with his mouth. She reached down between them to unbutton his jeans, shoving them down with his boxers just enough for him to step the rest of the way out. He wasted no time kicking them to the side and hoisting her up against him, both thighs now in his powerful hands.

Rio mumbled a curse when she bit his ear, trailing kisses down the side of his neck with her arms wrapped around his shoulders. Dropping his head down to her chest and biting lightly at the skin right above her see-through bra, he held her up against the wall easily with one hand while the other tore away the offending material, tossing it to join the soaking wet pile of clothes near their feet.

"Fuck." He hissed, taking her nipple between his teeth the second it was free. "You're gonna be real pissed at me, darlin'" He laugh, lowering both his hands until they gripped her ass, raising her higher against his body and pulling them away from the wall until they were directly under the spray of the rain shower in the center of the ceiling.

"Why's that?" She asked breathlessly, locking her ankles around his waist and dropping her head to capture his bottom lip enthusiastically.

"Cause I aint lettin' you get a damn minute of sleep." He smiled against her mouth, kissing her hungrily as she met his lips with her own sweet laugh. Cassidy pushed her fingers through her hair, freeing the wet waves that stuck to her neck. Rio wasted no time dragging his lips across her chest and up to her shoulder. He bit down gently on the skin there, trailing his fingers lower on her ass until they were dangerously close to her center.

"Rio, wait." She sighed, breathing heavily against his shoulder. He dragged one finger teasingly across her clit, moaning in satisfaction when her teeth sank into the flesh near his collarbone.

"What is it, baby?" He asked, sliding her down his body carefully until her feet were safely on the tile, bringing her back to being a full head shorter then him. He dragged his fingers through her wet hair, pushing it away from her face and kissing her again, sucking her tongue sensually into his mouth.

He pulled back just enough to let her speak, curving his body over hers to keep the water from hitting her directly and backing her up against the warm tile wall.

"You've done this so many times, and I never have. I might not be any good." She whispered, wrapping one of her arms around his neck, the other sliding down his tattooed chest timidly. He surprised her with a genuine laugh, his perfectly white teeth lining his smile as he looked down at her.

"Smart little thing like you?" He replied, bracing his arms on either side of the wall, effectively boxing her in. He slanted his lips over hers again and again, smirking against her mouth each time.

"I am pretty smart." She drew the words out with a smug grin.

"Yea, yea." He trailed a single finger across the center of her breasts all the way down her abdomen, resting his palm against her flat stomach. "Don't let it go to your head." He warned, kissing her again. He reached across to his left, turning the water off before wrapping his arms tight around her hips. He pulled her up against his chest, earning a laugh from the dark hair woman when her feet left the floor.

"I told you, I know how to walk." She said against his shoulder, securing her feet behind his back. When he dropped her flat on her back against the bed, she kept her ankles hooked behind his waist, pulling him down with her. He climbed over her easily, moving them both further up the bed until her wet hair was fanned out over his pillow.

"You look so damn good naked in my bed like that." He whispered, staring down at her intently. He pulled her wrists together and held them above her head before trailing his tongue across her neck, biting her earlobe teasingly.

"Let go of my hands right now." She whispered desperately, tilting her hips up to meet the hard length that was pressing down against her. He freed her hands with a smirk that quickly turned to a low groan in the back of his throat. The second he felt her fingernails scrape down his back, the last bit of self restraint he had vanished.

Rio slipped his hand between her legs, relishing the feel of her soft skin beneath his fingertips. She was soaking wet as she bucked her hips up to meet his hand, her head thrown back against the pillow with her bottom lip between her teeth.

"I want to fuck you, sweet girl." His voice vibrating against her skin as he whispered the words below her waist. "What do you think about that?" His eyes were hooded as he stared up at her, nipping at her skin lightly while he trailed his lips lower down her body.

"I don't know." She teased, wrapping her legs higher up his back and looking back down at him. "I am pretty tired and you did promise me a few hours of sleep."

"That right?" He asked, abandoning his seductive caresses and moving straight to her folds in one quick motion. She inhaled sharply as he buried his face between her legs, his tongue hot against her clit.

"You wanna take a break and squeeze in a quick nap before breakfast?" His tongue lapped up the juices coming from her pussy in long, deliberate strokes. He gripped her thighs hard, keeping her legs spread wide.

"Don't play this game with me, Rio. You'll lose." She warned, tugging him up her body and slamming her lips against his. She could taste herself on his tongue and wanted nothing more then to push him back down. But if he wanted to tease her, she'd give it right back.

She sucked his tongue into her mouth roughly until she was rewarded with a primal growl from the back of his throat. He shoved his hands into her hair and held it there at the nape of her neck.

"Tell me you want it, Cassidy." He demanded, his voice rough as he struggled to push the words out. He slanted his lips over hers with enough force to leave them both bruised.

"How about you tell _me_ you want it." She countered against his mouth, meeting his passionate sucks with a coy smile.

"My sweet girl." He muttered, dragging his lips away from hers until they were wrapped around her hard nipple. "If I give in now, I'll never hear the end of it." He bit down lightly on the sensitive skin, grinning with silent victory as she fisted his sheets in her small hands.

She reigned in the moan that was begging to escape and instead, pushed him off her gently until he fell beside her on the king sized bed. "I might as well not even try then." She said with a shrug, taking her time to turn her body around, curving her spine deliberately until her ass was drawn up. She turned her head towards him, her cheek pressed against the silk of his pillow. Cassidy yawned dramatically and closed her eyes, a small smile playing across her pink lips. She could feel his eyes dragging over her naked body as she laid on her stomach, her entire back clearly on display for him.

"That aint even fair." He said quietly to himself, shoving his fist into his mouth and biting down on his knuckles as he looked her over. His eyes dragged over her perfectly tanned skin, taking in the curve of her shoulder blades and the dip in her back that flared out to her slim hips.

"That's a damn good view, baby." Rio said, straddling the back of her legs. He pulled her hips up quick to meet his body, her ass slamming hard against his growing length. She pushed up on her elbows gracefully, grinding her ass harder against him, earning a satisfied moan from the back of his throat. She let out one of her own when she felt his fingers grip her left cheek roughly, his fingers digging into the supple skin. He leaned his entire body fully against her back until his lips brushed her ear.

She felt his hot breath against her neck when he spoke, stifling the satisfying cry that threatened to escape her mouth as his body pressed her down against the sheets. "You win." He whispered, biting her shoulder affectionately.

"Say it then." She teased, turning her chin to meet her shoulder as he continued to kiss his way down her back.

"I want you. Right fucking now." He groaned, taking both sides of her ass in his large hands and spreading her cheeks apart. Before she had a chance to react, he licked a thick trail down her clit from behind . She exhaled shakily, dropping to her forearms and pushing her head hard into the pillow. She arched her back even further, giving him easier access as he continued to lick her soaking wet folds. She couldn't contain the strangled cry that escaped her lips when he pushed a single finger inside of her, never ceasing the delicious patterns his tongue was currently making between her legs.

"Gotta be the sexiest woman I've ever met." He whispered, his words vibrating as he spoke them against her pussy. "Everything you do makes me hard." He continued, pushing another finger slowly into her until she rewarded him with another high pitched moan.

"That's my girl." He encouraged, letting out a low growl as he let the taste of her soak into his tongue. "Let me hear you." He urged, flicking her clit repeatedly, earning yet another satisfied cry.

"As fun as this is," She breathed, her voice shaky from pleasure as it rippled through her core. "It's not a great way for me to get practice." She smiled, shoving him playfully off of her until his back slammed against the space she'd been occupying.

"Come on, sweetheart. I was havin fun." Rio drawled out with a smirk. He folded his arms behind his head, watching her naked body with a predatory gaze as she moved her legs over either side of his hips, sinking down around him in one, easy motion. She was so slick that Rio sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth at the surprising action. His hands shot out immediately, gripping her sides tightly with his strong hands. He bit his own tongue as he watched her body move. He dragged one of his hands flat across her back, loving the feel of her soft skin beneath his fingers as she continued to ride him slowly.

"I love your hands on me." She smiled down coyly at him with one final thrust forward of her hips. He met her smile with one of his own and pushed his hands through her hair before holding her face gently. He took his time examining the beauty of her features. From her deep, brown eyes, to her full bottom lip. He brushed his thumb over the dimple now clearly visible near the corner of her mouth.

She felt his cock stir beneath her as she leaned forward, her hands flat against his hard chest as she moved up and down lazily. The sun was streaming in fully through the window now, the proposal of sleep a distant memory as morning made itself known. Rio was ready to flip her over to lay beneath him, but found his partners body still instantly beneath his hands.

"You good?" He asked, searching her eyes as she stopped grinding, his dick still hard inside of her.

"Shh." She said, leaning down until her breasts were pushed flat against his hard chest, her hand cupped over his mouth.

He bit the inside of her hand playfully, ready to repeat his question before it was suddenly unnecessary. Rio mirrored her immediate stillness, taking her wrist and kissing the skin softly, removing her hand from his mouth. He mumbled a string of complaints, lifting her reluctantly off his lap and setting her bare feet safely on the floor beside the bed.

Soon, the sound of clambering feet was heard running up the stairs with the excitement of a young child promised a morning out to breakfast.

The fact that Rio's bedroom door didn't have a lock made them remember their state of undress. Rio took two long strides over to his dresser, ripping a dark blue hoodie from the top drawer and tossing it gracelessly at her head.

"Hey." She whispered harshly, a playful smirk on her lips as she shoved her arms into the sleeves of his sweatshirt.

"For fucks sake, zip that thing up before you give my nephew a heart attack." Rio said, licking his lip as his eyes racked over her curves. "That hoodie's never looked so good." He mumbled to himself, still watching her do as she was told while he tugged a pair of athletic shorts on over his hips.

"Dear God Levi, make sure you knock!" They heard Mayas voice from downstairs call out just as they watched the doorknob turn. Cassidy tiptoed behind it, pulling the over sized top down to cover her thighs. The handle stopped moving, a sharp series of raps coming shortly after.  
  
"Uncle Rio, are you up?" Cassidy covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, Rio shooting her a warning look, a hot glint in his eye. He walked over to the entrance, grabbing her chin in one hand, the doorknob in the other. Before he pulled it open, he tipped her head up, bringing his lips down to hers.

"Be a good girl and keep that pretty mouth shut." He reprimanded, trailing his finger down her chest before pulling away and throwing the door open, effectively shielding her behind it from Levi's view.

"Hey kid. Look at you wakin up with the sun." He mussed the kids hair and leaned against the doorway, casually blocking the way inside.

Maya came up the stairs behind her son, tugging him back against her chest and kissing the top of his head. Rio's eyes narrowed when he saw his sisters neck, memories of the last few hours flooding his brain.

"You doin' alright, hermanita?" He asked, his eyes glued to her throat. She pulled her hair around her shoulders and nodded, rubbing her hands up and down Levi's arms. 

"I'm fine, Christopher. Why don't you go turn on the tv and wait downstairs. I think your uncle needs a few minutes to get ready before we can go anywhere." She ushered the small child back towards the stairs before turning back to her brother.

"Cassidy, you behind the door?" She asked once her son was out of earshot. The muffled sound of the tv barely made it up the stairs.

"No." The younger woman answered, still rooted to her spot against the wall.

The corner of Maya's mouth turned up as she raised a brow at Rio. "You're being a perfect gentleman in here, right?" She urged, pointing her index finger at him dramatically.

"No." He said suggestively, earning a cringe and an eye roll from his sister.

"You need clothes?" She asked, already turning back towards the stairs.

"Yes, please." Cassidy called out, a hint of color darkening her cheeks. Rio slammed the door shut and wrapped her up in his arms.

"Nah, I don't think you do." He voiced his opposition, burying his face in her neck and biting the skin roughly as she squirmed.

"I'm fine wearing this out in public if you are." She said with a shrug, her left shoulder bare as the large sweatshirt fell off it. She looked up at him with an innocent smile as his eyes flashed.

"Come here." He snapped, lifting her feet off the ground and walking across the room with his tongue against her neck. She keened at his touch, her hands running down his bare back as heat pooled between her legs. He set her down on the cold marble against the bathroom sink, a gasp of surprise escaping her mouth as a chill ran through her.

She didn't have time to get a word out before he was crouched down, balancing on his heels with his head back between her thighs. She threw her head back, pushing her dark waves away from her face to fall down her back as she moaned, his tongue already buried inside her. He reached one hand up, dragging the zipper down painstakingly slow. The soft material fell away, his rough hand palming her breast before pinching her hard, pink nipple between his fingers.

Cassidy gripped the edge of the counter near either side of her legs, panting softly as his tongue covered her clit fully.

"I set some clothes out here for you." Maya's voice called from the hallways.

"Thank you." Cassidy managed to call back, her voice cracking at the end. She felt his hot breathe against her center as he let out a short laugh, the sensation making her grip on the marble tighten.

"We gotta stop." She breathed unconvincingly, her ankles betraying her as they hooked behind his muscular back despite her words.

"A couple minutes wont kill em. I'm not lettin you go until I taste your cum on my tongue." He swore, sucking fully now on her clit. She cursed softly as she trailed her nails gently up his back until they reached his shoulders.

Rio ran two fingers through her folds before dipping them inside, pumping in and out of her until her thighs were shaking around him. She finally looked down at him, one hand still gripping the counter while the other trailed down the arm currently pushing inside her. She felt his muscles tighten in his forearm as he curved his fingers inside her, twisting them each time before pulling out.

"You're so strong." She whispered breathlessly, watching his veins stand against his skin as he worked her.

"I am, baby." He said humbly against her pussy, her breath catching in her throat as she grew closer. "And I'm always gonna protect you." He vowed, pumping his fingers faster now as he flicked his tongue against her clit.

Cassidy sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, biting it roughly as she felt her release coming closer. Her legs tightened around him as he buried his face further between her thighs, his rhythm never breaking as his mouth worked alongside his fingers in perfect synchronicity, driving her over the edge.

He knew the second she was close, her thighs clenching around him, a small cry escaping her parted, pink lips above him as she came heavily against his tongue. He smirked in silent victory, lapping the juices up agonizingly slow with a long, full lick. His gaze locked on her as she stared down at him, her eyes hooded with exhaustion and pleasure.

"How much time you think we got before your sister comes back up here?" Cassidy asked, still slightly breathless as she slid down the counter, her arms reaching up to wrap around Rio's neck as he got to his feet.

"Not long." He said with a smirk, watching intently as she pushed his shorts down, never breaking eye contract with him.

"Long enough for you to fuck me?" She asked, looking up at him shyly from under her dark, full lashes. She skated her fingers lightly across his upper body, bringing her lips to the skin near his collarbone. She peppered hot, open mouth kisses across his entire chest, kissing every scar and injury he had tenderly.

Cassidy's chest tightened as she took in his scarred body under the full light of the vanity. Before she could find the words, Rio's arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her close.

"I'm fine." He grunted, sliding his hands down her back until they cupped her ass. He bent his knees, hoisting her up easily. She arched her back just enough for him to slide into her, her nails immediately biting into the skin of his shoulder blades.

"Fuck, that feels amazing." She breathed, Rio holding her up effortlessly under her thighs.

"Gotta get out of you and grab somethin." He said, his voice tight as if it was taking every ounce of strength he had to even utter those words.

"I'm on the pill." She whispered, laughing when he cursed his relief.

"Thank fuck." He muttered, gripping her thighs tighter before slamming her back into the wall near the door.

Cassidy's breath hitched in surprise, his dick filling her up more then she was prepared for. "Fuck." She hissed, biting his ear roughly as he slammed into her again, her back hitting the wall harder this time. "You're so big." She whispered mostly to herself as she muffled her scream against his neck.

Her words only fueled him further, his dick pumping into her harder this time.

"Yea, sweetheart?" He teased, drawing his cock out of her slowly, teasing her with his soaking wet tip near her entrance. "Think you can take it?" He raised a brow at her.

Her eyes flashed a rich, dark brown as she met his challenge with a sugary sweet smile. She batted her long lashes at him, his fingers tightening around her thighs as his cock twitched against her.

"Try me." She dared, her dimple dipping into her cheek as she smirked at him seductively.

He didn't need to be told twice. He drove back into her immediately, earning a broken cry from the dark haired woman as she buried her face in his neck. She wrapped her legs tighter around him as he lifted her ass up slightly before slamming back into her, her back hitting the wall repeatedly.

"Christopher, come on. We're starving down here!" His sisters voice carried through the floor.

"Tell your friend, she wont get outta the damn shower!" He yelled back, pushing into her again, his hands sliding closer to her knees so he could bounce her up and down on his cock easier.

"Liar." She growled in his ear, her smart mouth earning her a harder thrust from Rio.

"If you wanna hop off my dick and go downstairs, be my guest, Cassidy." He challenged, backing her up against the wall again with a forceful prod between her legs.

"Fuck, that feels so good." She hissed, stifling a moan against his shoulder, biting down on the skin when he drilled into her over and over again, both nearing their peak.

As he bucked into her, he raised one hand to brush her hair back, strands sticking to her neck like syrup from their combined sweat. He looked her directly in the eye, hers shutting momentarily as she came.

"You're mine." He growled, following her a few pumps later, fulling her up inside powerfully before it ran down her thighs.

"I'm yours." She whispered against his mouth, biting his lower lip gently.

"We are getting our shoes on!" Levi's voice called out from downstairs.

"Two minutes, buddy. Helping Cassidy find her shoes." He called out the door, retrieving the stack of clothes. When he came back to the bathroom, he stalled in the entryway, the corners of his mouth turning up slowly.

Cassidy was bent over, ass in the air, as she slowly ran a damp washcloth down the inside of her thigh. "You sure got it all in there, didn't you." She huffed, standing up straight once she was done. She held her hand out for the clothes which he reluctantly passed over.

  
"Hurry up and get dressed. Wanna take my girl out for pancakes." Rio knocked his closed fist playfully against her chin and putting his own clothes on. She was dressed in a flash, collecting the dirty clothes from around the floor and tossing them in the hamper near the shower before following him downstairs.

  
Rio managed to slip his sneakers on as he walked down the stairs, sweeping his nephew up around the knees in one swift motion before jogging out the door. The little boy laughed loudly as they walked down the street, slung over his uncles back while Maya stayed behind, linking arms with her friend.

"So," she started, beaming as they followed the boys down the block, losing sight of them briefly when they turned a corner up ahead, lost in their own conversation about dinosaurs. "You and my brother, huh?" She arched her perfectly sculpted brow at the younger woman.

Cassidy smiled back, bumping her shoulder playfully, increasing their pace just a bit to follow the rest of their group around the bend. "I'm just letting him take me to breakfast. Don't get carried away." She laughed.

"Come on, ladies. The kid's gettin hungry." Rio called out, a couple paces ahead. The street was crowded as it always was on a Chicago morning, but when Rio's eyes looked passed the woman's shoulders, Cassidy found herself turning around to follow his gaze. Maya quickly did the same, holding her bag tight against her side.

A teenage boy with his hood pulled up was less then a foot away from Cassidy, ready to brush against her as he passed even though there was a good amount of empty space around them.

"Don't even think about it, kid." Rio warned with an almost proud look in his eye, his mouth turning up in a menacing smirk. "Those two," he started, jutting his chin out towards Cassidy and his sister. "Are off limits. And ya _never_ steal from a woman. Stick to old, white men." He warned, holding his arm out until the girls met him near the door of the restaurant.

"Sorry, Rio." The kid said, keeping his head down with a smirk, continuing down the street.

"You know that little boy?" Maya asked, shimmying into a tight booth beside her son. She was clearly annoyed that her hard earned possessions were almost stolen.

"He's a good kid, just findin his way." Rio defended, raising his arm over the back of the booth so Cassidy could fit into the space. Once she was pressed into his side, he lowered his arm, stroking her arm lazily while he looked over at his sister.

"Christopher has always been a sucker for lost souls." Maya joked, turning her attention to Levi who was asking her what she thought he should order.

Rio leaned down just enough to press his lips to her hair, looking over her shoulder at the menu. "I gotta do some shit with Demon after this but why don't you guys come over for dinner later." He whispered, his chin resting on top of her head.

"Violet and I?" She asked, glancing up at him, shutting her menu.

"Got some other baby I don't know about?"

She shook her head wordlessly in response.

"Miss that kid. Aint gotta look so surprised." Rio slanted his lips over hers for a brief moment before turning his attention across the booth. He kept his arm around her protectively all throughout their meal as the four of them enjoyed their morning together with easy conversations and laughter.


End file.
